Skip to main content

Full text of "Diaries and correspondence of James Harris, first Earl of Malmesbury"

See other formats 


— ^-•-  -----  - 


mtiifCttpoflftogork 


LIBRARY 


DIARIES 


AND 


CORRESPONDENCE 


OF 


THE  EARL  OF   MALMESBURY. 


VOL.  III. 


^ 


DIARIES  AND  CORRESPONDENCE 


OF 


JAMES    HARRIS, 

FIRST  EARL  OP  MALMESBURY; 

CONTAINING  AN  ACCOUNT  OF 

HIS  MISSIONS  TO  THE  COURTS  OF  MADRID, 
FREDERICK  THE  GREAT,  CATHERINE  THE  SECOND, 

AND  THE  HAGUE; 

AND  OF  HIS  SPECIAL  MISSIONS  TO 

BERLIN,  BRUNSWICK,  AND  THE  FRENCH  REPUBLIC. 


EDITED  BY  HIS  GRANDSON, 

THE  THIRD  EARL. 


VOL.  in. 


LONDON: 

RICHARD  BENTLEY,  NEW  BURLINGTON  STREET, 

33ublid;er  m  ©rtJinar^  to  iler  IKajtffti). 

1844. 


0- 


LONDON : 

Printed  by  S.  &  J.  Bentley,  Wilson,  and  Fley, 
Bangor  Iloune,  Shoe  Lane. 


DIARIES    AND    CORRESPONDENCE. 


BERLIN. 


EXTRACTS  FROM  A  DESPATCH  FROM  LORD  GRENVILLE  TO 

LORD  MALMESBURY. 

Whitehall,  20th  Nov.,  1793. 

Hls  Majesty  having  been  pleased  to  charge  your  Lord- 
ship with  an  Extraordinary  Mission  at  the  Court  of  Ber- 
lin, I  am  now  to  convey  to  your  Lordship  His  Majesty's 
instructions  respecting  the  objects  of  that  Mission,  and 
the  conduct  to  be  observed  by  your  Lordship. 

You  are  already  informed  of  all  the  transactions  which 
have  taken  place  between  the  two  Courts,  respecting  the 
present  war  with  France,  and  particularly  the  Memorial 
delivered  by  M,  Lucchesini  to  Lord  Yarmouth,  and  of  the 
note  which  was  lately  presented  at  Berlin,  in  his  Majesty's 
name,  claiming  the  succours  stipulated  by  the  defensive 
Treaty''' ;  of  the  verbal  answer  which  was  given  to  me  on 
that  subject  by  Mous.  Jacobi,t  and  of  my  refusal  to 
report  to  His  Majesty  any  such  communication,  unless 
it  was  made  in  writing.  That  Minister  has  since  com- 
municated to  me  the  copy  of  a  despatch  from  his  Court, 
directing  him  to  notify  the  King  of  Prussia's  peremptory 
determination,  with  respect  to  his  conduct  in  the  present 
conjuncture  of  affairs.  I  enclose  a  copy  of  this  communi- 
cation, with  the  paper  accompanying  it,  for  your  Lord- 
ship's information.     You  will  observe  that  the  principal 

*  Of  1787,  subsequent  to  tlie  Provisional  Treaty  of  Loo  made  Ly  Lord 
Malmesbury. 

t  Prussian  Minister  at  London. 
VOL.  III.  B 


1  h  /  J ,  h  6 


2  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [1793. 

points  there  stated  as  reasons  for  not  furnishing  the  sti- 
pulated succours  now  demanded  by  His  Majesty  are  the 
same  which  were  brought  forward  in  conversation  by 
Mons.  Jacobi.     These  are — 

"  1st.  That  before  the  demand  of  those  succours  can 
be  made,  it  is  necessary  for  His  Majesty  to  fulfil  the  sti- 
pulations of  the  secret  article  respecting  the  number  of 
troops  to  be  actually  employed  against  the  enemy  at  the 
time  when  tlie  requisition  is  made. 

"  2dly.  That  the  King  of  Prussia  not  having  claimed 
the  benefit  of  the  alliance,  when  attacked  (as  it  is  alleged 
by  France),  ought  not  now  to  be  called  upon  to  furnish 
the  succours  to  His  JVIajesty,  in  consequence  of  an  attack 
from  the  enemy. 

"  3dly.  That  the  Convention  recently  concluded  super- 
sedes the  former  alliance,  as  with  respect  to  this  war,  and 
renders  the  King  of  Prussia's  co-operation  in  the  war  de- 
pendant on  circumstances." 

I  think  it  superfluous  to  enter  further  into  the  discus- 
sion of  Mons.  Jacobi's  communication,  or  of  the  other 
groundless  arguments  alleged  by  his  Court,  as  pretences 
to  justify  a  direct  violation  of  the  subsisting  Treaty.  If 
the  King  of  Prussia's  determination  cannot  be  altered,  it 
will  then  become  necessary  to  examine  and  refute  these 
pretexts  in  a  formal  memorial  to  be  delivered  by  your 
Lordship  in  His  Majesty's  name,  which  shall  expressly  de- 
clare the  Treaty  of  Alliance  to  be  annulled  by  the  refusal 
of  the  King  of  Prussia  to  fulfil  its  obligations. 

The  object  of  your  Lordship's  ]\Iission  is,  however,  to 
endeavour  if  possible  still  to  bring  the  King  of  Prussia  to 
a  just  sense  of  what  he  owes  to  his  engagements  with  His 
Majesty,  and  to  the  steady  and  uniform  good  faith  which 
he  has  experienced  from  this  Court,  than  to  tenuinate  the 
connection  hitherto  sul)sisting  by  a  declaration,  which, 
however  justified  by  the  Court  of  Prussia,  would  never- 
theless, in  the  present  circumstances,  be  productive  of  in- 
convenience to  the  cause  in  which  His  Majesty  is  engaged. 
Your  Lordship  will,  for  that  purpose,  as  soon  as  you 
can  after  your  arrival  at  l^^rlin,  endeavour  to  obtain  an 
interview  with  the  King  of  Prussia  himself,  from  whose 


1793.]  BERLIN.  3 

sense  of  his  engagements  more  may,  perhaps,  be  expected 
than  from  the  principles  or  policy  of  those  by  whom  he 
is  advised.  You  will  urge  in  the  strongest  manner  the 
impolicy,  as  well  as  the  injustice  of  his  present  measures. 
You  will  state  in  the  most  explicit  and  unreserved  terms, 
that  His  Majesty  never  will  submit  to  purchase  by  a  sub- 
sidy that  assistance  to  which  he  is  entitled  by  Treaty. 
You  will  avail  yourself  as  far  as  possible  of  the  strong 
and  just  animosity  which  the  King  of  Prussia  is  supposed 
to  entertain  against  the  Republican  faction  in  France, 
and  of  the  apprehension  with  which  he  looks  to  the 
effects  of  their  principles;  and  above  all,  you  will  en- 
deavour to  impress  his  mind  with  a  true  sense  of  the 
consequences  which  would  arise  to  the  most  material 
interests  of  Prussia  from  an  open  breach  of  the  alliance 
between  that  country  and  the  maritime  Powers.  It  is,  in- 
deed, obvious  that  the  effect  of  this  must  be  the  throwing 
Prussia  entirely  into  a  state  of  dependence  on  Russia,  and 
the  jealousy  which  has  always  been  felt  at  Berlin  respect- 
ing the  latter  power,  will  probably  be  sufficiently  alive  to 
such  an  apprehension.  In  making,  however,  any  repre- 
sentations on  this  last  point,  your  Lordship  will  be  par- 
ticularly attentive  to  say  nothing  which  could,  if  re- 
peated at  Petersburg,  give  just  grounds  of  offence  or 
uneasiness  to  the  Empress,  whose  interference  with  the 
King  of  Prussia  His  Majesty  has  thought  proper  to  re- 
quest on  this  occasion,  and  whose  friendship  he  is  dis- 
posed to  cultivate. 

The  late  communication  from  Baron  Jacobi  renders  it 
necessary  that  your  Lordship,  after  urging  these  several 
points  with  earnestness  and  energy,  should  in  every  case 
insist  on  the  King  of  Prussia's  acknowledging  the  casus 
fcederis,  as  an  indispensable  preliminary  to  all  further 
discussion,  as  it  must  be  understood  that  His  Majesty 
cannot  suffer  the  express  provisions  of  the  alliance  to  be 
called  in  question  in  a  ministerial  communication  from  his 
ally,  without  receiving  on  that  head  the  most  ample  and 
satisfactory  explanations  ;  and  this  is  a  point  from  which 
your  Lordship  is  not  to  consider  yourself  as  at  liberty  to 
depart,  under  any  circumstances  which  may  arise. 

E    2 


4  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [l793. 

With  respect  to  the  possibility  of  adopting  any  ar- 
rangement by  which  the  views  of  His  ^hijesty  and  the 
King  of  Prussia  might  yet  be  conciliated,  supposing  the 
casus  fcederis  to  be  distinctly  and  formally  acknowledged 
by  the  Court  of  Berlin,  much  must  depend  on  the  real 
state  of  the  Prussian  finances.  I  trust  that  on  the  spot 
your  Lordship  will  have  little  difficulty  in  ascertaining 
this  point  with  some  degree  of  certainty.  If  the  aUegecl 
distress  of  the  King  of  Prussia's  treasury  is  wholly 
feigned,  it  Avill  in  that  case  be  evident  that  the  deter- 
mination of  the  King  of  Prussia  is  taken  rather  to  break 
his  alliance  with  the  maritime  Powers,  and  to  risk  the 
dangers  which  may  result  from  the  final  establishment 
of  the  Jacobin  principles  in  France,  than  to  contribute 
to  the  indemnification  which  Austria  has  in  view;  in 
that  case  all  attempts  at  other  arrangements  must  be 
useless,  and  nothing  will  remain  to  be  done,  except  to 
insist  on  tlie  succours  being  furnished,  and  in  case  of 
non-compliance  with  that  demand,  to  prepare  the  de- 
claration necessary  to  be  given  in  for  the  purpose  of 
annulling  the  defensive  treaty. 

If,  on  the  other  hand,  the  pecuniary  difficulties  which 
are  stated  have  a  real  existence,  the  disposition  to  co- 
operate further  in  the  war  may  still  exist,  and  in  tliat 
case  some  advantage  might  be  derived  from  the  adop- 
tion of  such  arrangements  as  might  enable  His  Majesty 
to  contribute  toAvards  removing  those  difficulties,  and 
securing  the  King  of  Prussia's  co-operation  in  the  war, 
but  without  departing  from  the  just  claims  resulting 
from  the  existing  treaty. 

Before  I  enter  into  the  consideration  of  any  of  the 
general  ideas  on  Avhich  such  |)lans  might  be  grounded, 
I  must  observe  to  your  Lordship  that  they  are  all  of 
a  nature  which  require  their  being  concerted  with 
Austria  and  Holland,  and  adopted  with  respect  to  those 
countries,  as  well  as  with  respect  to  Great  Britain.  In 
passing  through  tlie  Hague  you  will  have  the  fullest 
opportunity  of  explaining  these  points  as  well  as  the 
other  subjects  of  this  despatch,  to  the  Dutch  Ministers ; 
and  your  Lordship's  intimate  knowledge  of  that  country 


1793.]  BERLIN.  5 

makes  it  unnecessary  for  me  to  add  anything  ou  that 
liead.  With  respect  to  Austria,  I  must  observe  to  your 
Lordship  that  the  utmost  jealousy  prevails  between  the 
two  Courts  of  Vienna  and  Berlin ;  that  the  former  has 
certainly  been  deceived  by  the  extent  given  to  the  late 
acquisitions  of  Prussia  in  Poland,  and  that  the  latter  is 
unquestionably  desirous  of  checking,  at  least  by  indirect 
means,  the  plans  of  indemnity  which  the  Emperor  is 
now  pursuing  against  France.  Your  Lordship  is  apprized 
that  M.  Lehrbach  is  to  be  sent  to  Berlin,*  on  a  commission 
in  some  degree  similar  to  that  which  your  Lordship  has 
undertaken,  and  he  will  probably  arrive  there  about  the 
same  time.  It  will  be  very  necessary  that  your  Lordship 
should  maintain  with  him  an  intimate  and  confidential 
communication  and  concert,  so  as  that  all  the  steps 
which  either  of  you  may  separately  take  may  be  directed 
to  the  same  common  object. 


On  Wednesday  morning  I  saw  Mr.  Pitt;  he  repeated 
nearly  what  Lord  Grenville  had  said — was  obliged  to  me 
for  accepting  it — said  it  was  but  fair  to  tell  me  there 
was  no  Embassy  vacant,  or  likely  to  be,  in  case  that  was 
my  object.  I  replied.  It  was  not  my  object ;  that  I  could 
not,  from  family  reasons,  stay  long  abroad,  and  that  I 
accepted  the  present  commission  under  the  idea  that  it 
would  be  a  special  one  and  a  sJiort  one.  That  I  was 
indifferent  both  as  to  diplomatic  rank  and  appointments, 
and  begged  he  would  make  both  the  most  conformable  to 
his  own  notions  of  what  he  thought  right  and  becoming. 

From  him  I  went  to  the  levee — King  gracious.  Dined 
with  Dundas — the  Cabinet  there  and  Lord  Darnley,  who 
was  to  go  with  me  as  my  friend. 


Thursday,  Nov.  14. — At  the  office,  reading.    Appointed 

*  From  Vienna. 


6  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [1793. 

Mr.  Ross  my  secretary.  Read  Lord  Yarmouth's  corre- 
spondence, and  Ewart's,  at  the  time  of  the  Russian  arma- 
ment, ^^  and  its  going  off.  Dined  with  the  Chancellor  f— 
no  one  there  but  Parnell,  Chancellor  of  the  Exchequer  in 
Ireland.  When  he  went,  I  staid  some  time  with  the 
Chancellor— much  confidential  talk  ;— /^e  for  giving  a 
large  subsidy  to  the  King  of  Prussia,  but  Pitt  and  Gren- 
ville  think  otherwise. 


Friday,  Nov.  15.— Reading  at  the  office  in  the  morning 
— conversation  with  Lord  Grenville  ;  dined  at  the  Chan- 
cellor's.   

Saturday,  Nov.  16.— At  the  office  ;  saw  Nagel,  the 
Dutch  Minister— told  him  of  my  Mission— that  I  should 
go  througli  Holland ;  desired  him  to  write  to  Princess  of 
Orange.     Dined  at  Douglas's,  and  to  the  play. 


Monday,  Nov.  18. — At  the  office  ;  saw  Lord  Grenville 
— conversation  on  foreign  politics  of  all  sorts.  Dined 
with  Elliot,  of  Wells,  at  the  Star  and  Garter. 


Tuesday,  Nov.  19. —Went  to  Windsor  to  see  the 
Duchess  of  York.  Jacobi,  Prussian  Minister,  gave  in  a 
kind  of  Memorial,  expressive  of  His  Prussian  ]\Iajesty's 
intention  not  to  grant  the  succours  we  had  asked  for,  and 
declining  all  general  interference  in  the  war,  without  being 
largely  paid.  Dined  with  the  Chancellor,  with  Lord  and 
Lady  Darnley.  Went  to  Devonshire  House— Duchess  much 
interested  about  Lafayette,  begged  me  to  get  him  some 
comforts  in  his  prison,  &c.|  T.  Pelham§  much  approved 
my  accepting,  so  did  in  answer  to  my  letters  Lord  Bute 
and  Wyndham,  of  Norfolk. 


Vide  Vol.  ii.,  page  441.  t  Lord  Lougliliorough. 

Liifiiyette  had  been  taken  by  the  Austrians  and  imprisoned  at  Wesel. 
Afterwards  Lord  Cbicliester. 


1793.]  BERLIN.  7" 

Wednesday,  Nov.  20. — At  the  levee.  Took  leave  of 
the  King — afterwards  with  him  iu  the  closet  (for  the  first 
time  since  the  Regency  Bill""").  He  began  by  saying  some- 
thing complimentary  on  my  accepting  the  Prussian  JVIis- 
sion,  then  went  on  by  saying,  "  A  few  clear  words  are 
better  perhaps  than  long  instructions.  I  believe  that  the 
King  of  Prussia  is  an  honest  man  at  the  bottom,  although 
a  weak  one.  You  must  first  represent  to  him,  that  if  he 
allows  his  moral  character  the  same  latitude  in  his  expla- 
nation of  the  force  of  treaties,  as  he  has  allowed  it  in  other 
still  more  sacred  ties"  (referring  to  his  marriage)  "  all 
good  faith  is  at  an  end,  and  no  engagement  can  be  bind- 
ing, f  You  must  then  state  to  him  how  much  his  honour 
is  engaged  in  joining  in  this  business,  in  not  giving  up  a 
cause  in  which  he  had  begun  so  nobly.  Then  you  should 
apply  to  his  interest,  that  the  event  of  the  war  must 
either  fail  or  succeed  ;  that  if  he  withdrew  himself  from 
the  number  of  coalesced  Powers,  in  either  case  he  would 
suQ'er  from  leaving  them.  In  the  first  case  (the  failure  of 
the  war)  he  perhaps  would  be  the  first  to  feel  the  conse- 
quence of  suffering  this  Tartarian  horde  to  overrun 
Europe.  In  the  second,  if  we  succeed,  he  certainly  might 
be  sure  that  not  having  contributed  his  share  to  the  suc- 
cess, would  put  him  in  respect  to  the  other  Powers  iu  a 
situation  of  consideration  and  want  of  consequence,  and 
that  he  would  not  be  consulted  or  referred  to  in  the  gene- 
ral system  of  Europe,  when  that  became  a  matter  of 
discussion.  That  if  you  fail  on  referring  him  to  these 
three  great  points,  his  integrity,  his  honour,  and  his  inte- 
rest, it  will  be  certain  nothing  can  be  done,  and  although 
I  have  the  greatest  confidence  in  your  skill  and  abilities, 
yet  I  shall  rest  assured  in  that  case  that  no  skill  or  any 
ability  would  be  equal  to  success." 

After  having  said  this,  which  the  King  did  with  great 
perspicuity  and  correctness,  he  said  the  King  of  Prussia 
was  an  "  illumine,"  so  was  the  Queen — that  he  understood 

*  Lord  Malmesbuiy  had  voted  against  Government  on  this  Bill  in  1788. 

t  A  curious  preamble  for  an  ambassador  to  make  !  but  the  events  of 
Lord  Malmcsbury's  mission  proved  that  George  the  Third  knew  well  the 
King  of  Prussia's  character. 


8  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [1793. 

from  what  he  had  heard  that  these  "  ilhmines" '"'  were  a 
sect  invented  by  the  Jesuits  to  overthrow  all  governments 
and  all  order.  That  this  scheme  was  only  known  to  a 
very  few  at  the  head  of  the  sect,  and  instructed  in  its 
mysteries,  and  that  all  the  followers  were  kept  in  igno- 
rance, and  taught  to  consider  it  as  innocent,  and  more 
moral  than  Free  Masonry.  His  Majesty  then  conversed 
on  the  Prussian  Court,  and  confessed  he  could  not  guess 
who  now  governed  the  King,  but  he  believed  Manstein 
had  much  influence  with  him.  On  dismissing  me  he  was 
very  civil,  and  took  evident  pains  to  impress  me  with 
the  idea  that  he  bore  no  malice  or  recollection  of  what 
passed  at  the  time  of  his  illness.  I  dined  with  Lord 
Grenville ;  much  talk  with  him  and  Pitt — conversed  over 
my  instructions. 


Thursday,  Nov.  21. — Breakfasted  with  Batt — at  the 
oiRce — took  leave  of  the  Queen — she  civil,  but  stifl" — 
King  uncommonly  attentive,  as  was  also  the  Prince  of 
Wales.  Dined  with  Elliot,  of  Wells,  at  the  Star  and 
Garter. 

Friday,  Nov.  22. — Left  London  at  a  quarter  past  nine, 
rode  to  Cobham  ;  dined  there,  got  to  Dover  by  ten  with 
Lord  Darnley. 


Saturday,  Nov.  23. — Left  Dover  at  1  p.m.  on  board 
one  of  the  packet  boats  under  convoy  of  the  Savage 
sloop  of  war,  was  .53  hours  on  the  passage,  and  did  not 
get  to  Ostend  till  the  evening  of  Monday  the  25th.     Gen. 


*  The  Illumines  vferc  republican  in  their  principles,  and  advocated  perfect 
equality.  If  they  had  sincere  and  honest  brethren  amongst  them,  they  also 
numbered  countless  adventurers  and  rou^s,  who  worked  upon  the  imagina- 
tion of  vain  and  handsome  women,  and  silly  rich  men,  to  olitaiii  from  botli 
what  tlioy  desired.  They  liad  spies  at  most  of  the  Courts,  who,  in  return, 
had  informers  among  them  ;  but  it  is  dilHcult,  from  the  accounts  we  have  of 
these  secret  societies,  to  ascertain  if  they  really  had  the  influence  that  some 
atfriliuto  to  them  over  the  opinions  of  their  generation,  or  whether  they  were 
not,  on  the  whole,  more  proiiUible  to  swindlers  than  to  reforming  politicians. 


1793.]  BERLIN.  9 

Stuart,  the  commander,  Col.  Vyse  his  Secretary  called  on 
me.'"     Wrote  to  Duke  of  York  at  Tournay. 


Tuesday,  Nov.  26. — Left  Ostend  at  5  o'clock,  got  to 
Brussels  at  1  in  the  morning — dined  at  Ghent,  and  staid 
three  hours  with  Colonels  St.  Leger  and  Fox — Conversa- 
tion about  the  army;  both  wish  me  to  see  the  Duke — 
Col.  Fox  spoke  most  highly  of  him  as  a  man,  and  able 
general — Both  think  Sir  James  Murray  an  unfit  man  for 
his  station.  I  declined  going  to  head-quarters,  but  ap- 
pointed St.  Leger  to  meet  me  at  Brussels. 


Wednesday,  Nov.  27.— Saw  Lord  Elginf  at  10. — Some 
general  discourse  with  him.  At  1  went  to  Antwerp — 
slept  there,  left  it  at  4  a.m.  On  Thursday,  was  on  the  other 
side  of  the  More  Dyke  by  3  p.m.,  and  at  the  Hague  by 
1  in  the  morning.  Met  LarreyJ  (the  Colonel)  near  the 
]\Iore  Dyke. 


Friday,  Nov.  29.— Called  on  Elliot;  he  communicated 
to  me  his  last  letter  from  Berlin — rather  better  than  the 
former  accounts.  Went  to  Court,  and  dined  there — 
Pensionary  §  and  Greffier  ||  and  Count  Welderen  were  asked 
to  meet  me.  Pensionary  on  seeing  me  said,  "Yoil^ 
Ulysse  revenu  a  Ithaque."  He  was  everything  that 
private  friendship  and  public  confidence  could  wish. 
Prince  and  Princess  not  at  all  forgetful  of  past  times,  and 
a  general  sort  of  kindness  and  attention  from  everybody 

*  The  Duke  of  York  was  commanding  the  British  army.  He  had  laid 
siege  to  Dunkirk  in  the  previous  August,  and  had  been  obliged  to  raise  it 
witli  the  loss  of  his  battering  trains.  The  French  then  attempted  to  break 
into  the  Netherlands,  but  were  repulsed  at  IVIorent,  Ypres,  &c. 

On  the  15th  and  16th  of  October,  Jourdan  attacked  the  Prince  of  Co- 
bourg,  and  drove  him  across  the  Sambrc  ;  and  from  this  time  the  French 
armies,  which  had  previously  been  worsted  on  this  frontier,  were  almost 
always  victorious. 

t  English  minister  at  Brussels.  |  In  tiie  Dutch  Service. 

§  Mons.  Vander  Spiegel.  ||  Baron  Fagcl. 


10  DIARIES   AND    CORRESPONDENCE.  [1793. 

which  flattered  me  very  much.  I  visited  many  old 
acquaintances  (Mad.  de  AVelderen  among  others),  and 
wrote  letters  and  supped  at  KalitchefF.  The  society 
very  little  altered.  Archibald  Hope  and  his  wife  there  ; 
he  is  now  in  the  "Magistrature." 


Saturday,  Nov.  30. — Rud".  Bentinck  early — blames 
the  hereditary  Prince  of  Orange — praises  Duke  of  York. 
At  ten  with  the  Pensionary — he  glad  I  am  going  to  Ber- 
lin— reasons  admirably  on  my  mission.  Suggests  va- 
rious ideas  (they  appear  in  my  correspondence) — rather 
prejudiced  against  Austria  when  we  began,  but  I  gra- 
dually brought  him  to  be  less  so.  Prince  still  untractable, 
— recommends  me  to  talk  to  him. — From  Vander  Spiegel 
to  the  Greffier's  at  12.  He  quite,  as  usual,  diffident  to 
advance  his  opinion,  but  quite  right — Talked  to  him 
about  the  Frontiers  the  Dutch  wish  to  recover.  He 
pointed  them  out  to  me  from  the  tenth  volume  of 
Lamberti,  specified  in  the  Treaties  of  1704. 


EXTRACTS   OF  A  DESPATCH    FROM    LORD.  MALMESBURY    TO  LORD 

GRENVILLE. 

Brussels,  Tuesday,  3rd  Dec.,  1793.     Private  and  confidetitial. 

I  SHALL  confine  myself  in  this  Despatch  to  what  the 
Great  Pensionary  said  to  me,  on  several  points,  not  imme- 
diately belonging  to  the  main  object  of  my  i\Iission,  but 
which  are  closely  connected  with  it,  and  on  which,  from 
my  haljits  of  intimacy  with  him,  I  have  every  reason  to 
believe  he  spoke  with  the  utmost  sincerity,  and  most 
unreserved  confidence. 

As  they  take  in  a  very  extensive  field,  I  shall  endeavour 
to  compress  them  as  much  as  possible.  They  may  be 
divided  into  two  heads — his  opinion  on  the  general  system 
to  be  observed  by  Europe  in  the  present  crisis,  and  as  to 
that  more  particularly  applical)le  to  the  Kepublic,  of 
which  he  is  one  of  the  leading  iMiuisters,  and  its  allies. 


1793.]  BERLIN.  11 

On  the  first,  he  thinks  that  one  common  object  unites 
all  the  different  Powers,  but  he  conceives  the/o^<r  govern- 
iiui  ones,  and  which  ought  to  direct  the  others,  are  Great 
Britain,  Austria,  Prussia,  and  Holland ;  their  object  is  the 
resisting  the  progress  and  destroying  the  source  of  those 
execrable  principles  which  have  lately  manifested  them- 
selves in  France. 

That  this  purpose,  in  the  pursuit  of  which  no  one  can 
have  a  distinct  interest  from  another,  ought  to  supersede 
all  other  consideration  ;  that  all  references  to  past  jea- 
lousies, as  well  as  all  future  apprehensions  should  be  for- 
gotten, since,  while  this  is  under  contest,  an  apprehension 
infinitely  superior  to  any  other  actually  exists. 

That  therefore  a  plan  of  union  should  be  formed  ex- 
pressive of  the  end  in  view,  and  explanatory  of  the  means 
by  whicji  this  end  is  to  be  attained. 

That  the  end  spoke  for  itself ;  it  was  the  preservation 
of  the  rights  of  all  property  as  well  riational  as  individual, 
and  the  destruction  of  a  system  that  aimed  at  the  over- 
throw of  all  social  order,  and  every  social  and  religioKS 
virtue.     The  means  he  stated  to  be  reducible  to  four. 

1.  To  decide  what  was  to  be  done  with  the  Interior 
Government  of  France,  how  it  was  to  be  so  settled  as  to 
give  it  sufficient  energy  to  prevent  the  contagion  from 
breaking  out  again,  and  at  the  same  time  not  enough  to 
enable  it  to  be  the  perpetual  disturber  of  the  peace  of 
Europe,  as  it  has  been  for  a  century  and  a  half  under  its 
three  last  monarch  s. 

2.  A  clear  and  distinct  understanding,  as  well  on  the 
military  operations  as  on  the  political  measures  requisite 
to  secure  this  object, 

3.  A  correct,  and  not  overrated  statement  of  the  force 
each  Power  can,  and  means  bond  fide  to  furnish,  and  also 
to  what  extent  they  can  reciprocally  assist  each  other 
with  pecuniary  aids,  or  credit  if  required, 

4.  An  arrangement  (necessarily  subservient  to  events) 
of  what  each  of  the  Powers  is  to  take  from  France,  by  way 
of  defraying  the  expenses  and  risks  of  the  war. 

On  these  four  cardinal  points  being  precisely  and 
speedily  settled,  he  considered  the  fate  of  the  war,  and 


12  DIARIES   AND    CORRESPONDENCE.  [1703. 

with  it  the  fate  of  Europe,  to  rest.  It  was  on  similar 
principles  that  the  Grand  Alliance  in  1701  was  framed, 
and  history  furnishes  us  with  many  examples  that  all 
leagues,  Avithout  such  a  previous  accord,  have  constantly 
failed. 

That  separate  conventions  between  each  Power  will 
not  answer  the  end,  and  such  necessarily  will  create 
separate  operations,  and  in  the  result  perhaps  separate 
interests,  they  must  all  be  circled  by  one  strong  and 
common  political  chain  for  one  common  and  distinct 
cause — that  for  this  purpose  the  four  Courts  should, 
without  loss  of  time,  appoint  a  place  for  the  meeting  of 
their  respective  Plenipotentiaries.  In  this  meeting  all 
these  points  should  be  settled  and  methodized,  and  that 
it  should  be  afterwards  considered  as  the  centre,  on 
which  all  the  operations  should  turn,  and  to  which  all 
doubts  and  dilemmas  should  be  referred. 

On  the  fourth  and  last  point  (the  subject  of  indemni- 
fication) the  Pensionary  thought  that  all  the  acquisitions 
France  had  made  since  the  peace  of  Munster '""  were  very 
fair  objects  of  reprisal. 


At  two,  with  the  Princess  of  Orange.  Told  her  my 
commission — she  very  civil  about  it,  but  could  give  me  no 
information — was  shy  about  condemning  her  brother,  yet 
could  not  approve  what  he  did — suggests  the  idea  of  our 
taking  30,000  Prussians  into  our  pay,  instead  of  in- 
creasing our  own  army.  At  three,  with  the  Stadtholder 
— he  very  talkative,  but  not  on  the  point.  Events 
of  the  campaign t — incidents  during  my  emijassy — re- 
flections on  his  own  conduct  tlien,  and  proAang  to  me 
from  events  he  was  right  at  times  when  I  thought  him 

*  In  1748  tlie  Treaty  of  Munster  terminated  the  Thirty  Years'  war. 

t  On  tlie  2!)th  the  Duke  of  Jirunswiek  luul  beaten  the  French  at  Landau, 
and  on  the  same  day,  Wurmser,  commandinji:  tlie  Imperial  army,  defeated 
tlieni  on  their  whole  line,  and  drove  them  beyond  Strasbourg  ;  but  his  suc- 
cess was  short,  as  he  was  in  his  turn  pushed  back  over  the  Rhine  by  Hoclic 
and  Pichegrn.  Prince  Hohenlohe,  wlio  was  besieging  r^andau,  and  who 
was  covered  by  tlie  Duke  of  Brunswick's  Prussians,  was  tiieu  obliged  to 
raise  the  siege,  whilst  the  Duke  himself  retired  on  Mcntz,  and  «n  tiie  (Jth  of 
January,  1794,  resigned  the  command  of  the  army. 


1793.]  BERLIN.  13 

wrong.  Talked  admirably  on  the  temper  of  tlie  times 
— said  the  two  words  "  democracy  "  and  "  aristocracy  " 
were  not  new  in  Holland.  His  friends  were  of  the  first 
description,  and  he  feared  lest  they  should  be  tainted  by 
Jacobinism — strong  advocate  for  a  respectable  aristocracy. 
Dined  at  the  Hereditary  Princess's — she  very  pleasing 
— came  late  with  the  Stadtholder,  who  kept  me  till  half- 
past  four.  Her  son  (an  infant,  a  fine  child).  More  con- 
versation with  the  Princess,  nothing  remarkable — I  re- 
commended strongly  to  the  Prince  energy  and  vigour. 
Took  leave  of  him.  Counts  Rhoon  and  Welderen,  "  Fron- 
deurs," — all  Dutchmen  are,  but  they  are  only  so  in  words. 
Rhoon  grown  more  steady — wants  a  Congress,  and  to  be 
employed  at  it.     Called  on  Lady  Athlone  and  Madame 

Slane.  The  first  told  me  a  story  of  Lady ,  who  has  run 

away  with  a .    The  other  low  and  melancholy.    Saw 

Keller,  Prussian  Minister,  at  his  own  house — he  seemed 
to  know  nothing,  but  wished  to  have  the  appearance  of 
having  talked  with  me — a  heavy  dull  man — his  wife 
prettyish  but  "  mauvais  ton" — supped  with  Schanbart 
(the  Dane). 


Sunday,  Dec.  1. — General  Bentinck  called — read  me  a 
letter  from  Fischer  to  engage  him  to  prevail  on  the  Stadt- 
holder to  pay  early  attention  to  the  army.  I  advised 
him  to  show  it  to  the  Pensionary.  Bentinck  communi- 
cated to  me  a  Memorial  of  Angely ""  on  La  Vendue  (I  took 
an  extract  of  it) — a  very  curious  piece  if  true.  At  twelve 
with  the  Pensionary — he  read  me  a  memorial  he  had 
draAvn  up  on  the  times  f — much  reasoning  with  him  ; 
he,  as  he  is  always,  very  clear,  clever  and  acute.  Great 
complaints,  and  very  justly,  at  the  Hague,  of  being  left 
without  an  Ambassador  from  England  for  so  long.     Left 


*  Sent  by  the  Royalists  to  La  Vendee  as  an  agent. 

t  A  very  clever  document,  in  which  he  argues  that  the  French  liave 
a  great  advantage  over  their  enemies  by  paying  their  army  by  assignats, 
whilst  the  hitter  pay  in  gold,  and  advocates  a  quadruple  alliance  between 
England,  Austria,  Prussia,  and  the  States,  who  shall  give  security  to  a  paper 
currency,  the  French  to  pay  all  loss  when  beaten. 


14  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [l793. 

the  Hague  at  seven  in  a  yacht,  and  Rotterdam  at  twelve, 
in  the  yacht  of  the  Gecomitteerderaden — got  to  the  More 
Dyke  by  ten  a.m.,  and  to  Antwerp  by  seven — wrote 
letters,  and  slept  there  on  ]\Ionday,  Dec.  2. 


Tuesday,  Dec.  3. — Got  to  Brussels  by  two — writing 
for  the  post.  St.  Leger  came  to  see  me.  Dined  at 
Elgin's — returned  home  to  write.  Despatched  Brooks  at 
midnight. 


Wednesday,  Dec.  4. — Captain  Cook  returning  to  Toulon 
— news  from  Lord  Howe — visits  to  Mesdames  Balbi  et 
Caumont — to  Merci*  at  three — his  manner  slow  and  rather 
pedantic,  his  figure  that  of  a  j\Iinister  de  la  vieille  Cour — 
apparently  open  and  frank,  but  I  should  doubt  his  being  so. 

Conference  with  Count  Merci. — Genoa,  its  arrange- 
ments, &c. — all  the  little  states  of  Italy  in  alarm,  had 
applied  to  the  Emperor;  he  no  troops  but  10,000  men 
in  the  ]\Iilanese  —  Sardinia  behaves  ill ;  danger  of  an 
incursion  on  the  side  of  Nice. 

On  my  Mission,  which  I  opened  to  him,  he  told  me 
what  had  passed  between  his  Court  and  that  of  Berlin — 
very  different  from  what  it  said  to  us — Lehrbach's  mis- 
sion ;t — talked  of  his  own  principles  and  feelings  on  the 
French  Revolution  ;  he  had  been  twenty -five  years  in 
Paris,  as  a  mentor  to  the  Queen. |  Was  "  in  time  at  the 
French  Court."  Saw  the  '' pourriture "  of  it  long  ago — 
that  if  the  conviction  of  the  cause  did  not  operate,  nothing 
could.  It  was  not  possible  for  any  power  to  discontinue 
war,  without  risking  its  ruin — thought  this  consideration 
must  operate  on  King  of  Prussia  ;  said  he  did  not  know 
who  his  Ministers  were.  Asked  about  Schulemberg  and 
Hertzberg,  described  Haugwiz  as  a  man  new  in  business 
— talked  of  England  and  Austria  as  the  two  Courts  on 
whose    shoulders  everything  rested  —  they  were  united 

*  Austrian  IMinistcr.  t  Austrian  s^pecial  Minister  at  Berlin. 

;{:  Marie  Antoinette. 


1793.]  BERLIN.  15 

''sous  tons  les  rapports'' — praised  our  Cabinet  ;  said  his 
own  was  composed  of  "  de  tres  honnetes  gens."  Talked 
much  in  favour  of  the  old  system — praised  Duke  of  York, 
and  our  troops — said,  "  la  bonne  cause  lid  devoit  les  jjlus 
grandes  obligations ;"  urged  the  necessity  of  an  imme- 
diate plan  of  co-operation — that  although  great  valour  had 
been  displayed,  the  last  was  "  une  campagne  chetive" 
Said  Paris  must  be  pressed.  Intimated  whether  the  King 
of  Prussia  could  not  be  prevailed  on  to  act  as  defender  of 
the  frontiers  of  Germany  on  the  Rhine,  and  leave  us  to 
act  in  Flanders. — Dined  with  Elgin. — St.  Leger  called  on 
me — states  Sir  J,  ]\Iurray  as  unpopular,  and  this  makes 
the  Duke  of  York  so. — Much  general  talk  about  the  army, 
which  he  says  is  ill-provided. — In  the  evening  at  Madame 
de  Matignon — she  pleasant,  but  thoroughly  French'^ — 
frugal,  but  cheerful  supper.     Afterwards  at  Lord  Elgin's. 


Thursday,  Dec.  5. — Sent  Estafette  to  Duke  of  York 
to  say,  I  would  meet  him  at  Ath,  as  His  Royal  Highness 
had  suggested,  on  Friday.  At  one,  to  the  Archduke — 
well  mannered  and  speaking  to  the  purpose.  Breteuilf 
in  bed — very  pompous,  and  still  the  Minister.  Dined  at 
Merci's — formal  company.  Lord  Yarmouth  come — called 
on  him — found  him  angry  beyond  expression  at  my  going 
to  Berlin — quite  overcome  by  passion,  would  not  listen, 
but  begging  his  own  questions— went  on  accusing  me  with 
breach  of  confidence,  friendship,  &c. — a  perfect  angry  child, 
who  vents  his  passion  on  the  first  object  he  meets.  But 
his  real  anger  was  with  Ministers,  which  he  did  not  dare 
show,  for  fear  of  their  displeasure  ;  he  therefore  vented  it 
on  me,  who  he  knew  would  take  more  from  him  than 
any  other  person  in  the  world.  There  was  not  an  un- 
pleasant thing  he  did  not  say,  or  an  unpleasant  reference 
he  did  not  make.  He  glanced  more  than  once  at  a  chal- 
lenge, and  if  I  had  not  known  him  so  well,  and  felt  it 

*  Lord  Malmesbury's  synonym  at  this  time  Avith  "  Republican." 
t  Mons.  de  Breteuil  was  ambassador  at  Petersburg  under   Louis   XA''. 
Afterwards  his  ]\Iinister  for  the  Home  Department  ;  he  kept  this  post  till 
tlie  Revolution  of  1789,  when  he  emigrated.     He  returned  to  France  under 
the  Empire,  and  died  there  in  1808. — Biog.  Univ. 


16  DIARIES   AND    CORRESPONDENCE.  [l703, 

right  on  every  account  to  bear  with  him,  I  must  have  lost 
my  temper.  I  was  forced  to  stay,  as  I  had  sent  away  my 
carriage,  expecting  to  meet  Lord  Yarmouth  in  the  most 
cordial  and  confidential  way.  Supped  at  Elgin's — chiefly 
French — Mesdames  Matignon,  Balbi,  Caumont,  la  Baronne 
de  Montmorenci,  Richelieu,  &c.  — Merci  d'Argenteau  also 
there.  Conversation  with  him  about  Dutch  Frontiers. 
I  thought  their  demand  reasonable,  as  what  they  want  is 
important  to  them  by  way  of  safety  and  defence,  and  no 
real  value  to  the  House  of  Austria.  JVIerci  thinks  other- 
wise— values  the  district  wanted  by  the  Republic  high. 
These  districts  are  Lillo  and  Liefenshock,  and  their  terri- 
tories, to  join  the  Generality  with  Dutch  Flanders,  and  the 
space  between  Ecluse,  or  Sluys,  and  the  Sea,  and  that  mouth 
of  the  Scheldt  called  the  Swyn.  The  first  is  necessary  to 
prevent  a  reincursion  on  the  side  of  Antwerp,  the  other 
to  protect  the  land.  Besides  this  (but  that  I  did  not 
mention)  the  Dutch  want  to  join  Maestricht  to  the  Repub- 
lic. This  very  difficult.  Necessary  to  get  Roermunde, 
or  at  least  all  the  country  round  it ;  in  order  to  give 
them  the  complete  sovereignty  of  Maestricht,  an  exchange 
must  take  place  with  the  Bishop  of  Li^ge.  All  this 
difficult,  and  I  disapproved  it  when  the  Pensionary  and 
Greffier  mentioned  it,  because  their  ideas  seemed  to  go 
to  the  secularizing  ecclesiastical  dominions,  which  in 
these  times  I  am  very  much  against.  After,  however, 
talking  a  good  deal  with  Merci  on  the  first  of  these  points, 
we  agreed  with  him,  if  the  war  ended  as  we  hoped  it 
would,  the  Dutch  would  evidently  be  entitled  to  their 
share  of  indemnity.  That  they  deserved  it,  and  if  they 
had  not  done  quite  as  much  as  the  other  Powers,  yet  it 
was  wise  and  more  candid  to  praise  than  to  blame  them. 
At  one  in  the  morning  Lord  Yarmouth  wrote  me  a 
note,  to  say  he  wished  to  see  me  the  next  morning ; 
Lord  Elgin  had  been  to  call  on  him  (but  was  not  re- 
ceived) to  speak  about  the  Hessian  Troops,  which  had 
positively  refused   to  embark   under  Lord  ^loira,--  prc- 

*  The  400U  Hessians  subsidized  by  his  (Lord  Elgin's)  Treaty,  did  re- 
ceive afterwards  orders  to  join  Lord  Moira. — Original  Note. 


1793.]  BERLIN.  17 

tending  that  it  was  against  the  Treaty,  which  ran  "•  de 
Tie  pas  servir  sur  la  Jiotte"  This  we  mean  as  Marines, 
and  they  construe  to  embarh,  or  under  any  pretence  ivhat- 
ever  to  go  on  shipboard.  Two  separate  Treaties,  verbatim 
the  same,  and  both  after  old  precedents  in  the  office,  were 
signed,  one  by  Lord  Elgin,  the  other  hj  Lord  Yarmouth. 
The  first  about  a  year  ago,  the  second  (that  in  question) 
in  this  summer  ;  and  it  was  on  this  point  Elgin  wished  to 
see  him,  and  instead  of  seeing  him,  Lord  Yarmouth  (con- 
scious perhaps  that  he  had  really  supplanted  him  in  his 
Prussian  mission)  expressed  a  wish  to  see  me.  I  appointed 
him  early,  as  I  was  to  go  to  Ath  to  meet  the  IJuke  of 
York.  He  called  on  me  at  half-past  nine ;  was  rather  less 
violent,  yet  still  wrong-headed  ;  I  tried  to  explain  to  him, 
and  in  some  degi'ee  succeeded  ;  I  found  his  aim  was  still 
to  come  to  Berlin.  He  was  embarrassed  when  I  told  him 
I  knew  he  had  accepted  Spain,  and  had  even  ashed  for 
Switzerland  ;  that  I  w^as  ready  to  give  way  to  him  at 
Berlin  if  ^Ministers  thought  it  useful  for  the  King's  ser- 
vice. He  had  said  the  preceding  evening,  in  a  moment 
of  passion,  that  I  should  be  ill  received,  and  gave  for 
reason  my  having  signed  the  Treaty  of  Loo.  This  he 
unsaid  this  morning,  and,  in  coupling  the  two  conversa- 
tions, exhibited  his  character — selfish,  intemperate,  cun- 
ning, and  nervous,  and  with  a  fear  to  displease — which 
occurs  to  him  (from  its  attendant  inconveniences)  always 
on  recollection.  We  parted  on  tolerable  terms,  but  I  was 
forced  to  write  to  Lord  Grenville  on  the  subject,  and  to 
request  him  to  explain  how,  and  why,  I  had  the  Prussian 
Mission,  to  convince  Lord  Yarmouth  that  I  had  never  a 
thought  of  supplanting  him,  or  even  could  guess  I  was  in 
his  way. 


Friday,  Dec.  6. — At  twelve  went  to  Ath,  Lord  Elgin 
with  me  to  Halle,  and  got  to  Ath  by  half-past  six ; 
roads  very  bad,  full  of  soldiers  and  waggons,  it  being 
those  to  both  the  head  quarters  of  Prince  Cobourg  and 
Duke  of  York,  Duke  brought  Sir  J.  Murray  with  him, 
but  he  left  us  often  alone.     He  said  his  army  was  ill 

VOL.  III.  c 


18  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [l793. 

provided.  Condemned  the  whole  measure  of  Dunkirk 
and  separation  of  the  armies  ;  spoke  slightingly  of  the 
Dutch,  and  still  more  of  the  hereditary  Prince  of  Orange, 
whom  he  called  "  Young  Hopeful." 

On  my  hinting  a  possibility  or  rather  a  certainty  that 
Grey  would  make  Dunhirh  the  first  object  on  the  opening 
of  the   Session,  the   Duke  said  he  trusted  none  of  his 
friends  would  be  so  over  zealous  as  to  think  it  necessary 
to  defend  him  at  the  expense  of  others.     That  whatever 
he  might  feel  or  think  as  to  himself,  and  the  usage  he 
had  met  with,  yet,  that  this  consideration  was  a  very 
secondary  one  indeed,  if  the  obtaining  it  stood  in  the  way 
of  the  great  cause  for  which  we  were  contending,  and  he 
should  be  very  sorry  indeed  that  any  blame  should  be 
thrown   on   any   particular  measure,    or   any    particular 
]\linister,  as  it  certainly  would  go  to  censure  the  principle 
of  the  War  and  produce  the  worst  consequences.     The 
Duke  of  York  (Sir  J.  Murray  being  absent)  went  into 
a  detail  of  his  own  situation,  which  he  said  was  unplea- 
sant ;   he  had  nobody  about  him,  no  Secretary  to  write 
for  him  as  the  old  Duke  of  Cumberland  had  ;  no  realbj 
experienced  officer.     He  had  written  to  the  King  ;  had 
been  forced  to  say,  Sir  James  was  unpopular.     The  Duke 
read  me  the  King's  Answer,  which  was  that  of  a  most 
affectionate  Father   to   a   favourite    Son.     His   Majesty 
entered  into  all  he  said,  proposed  giving  Murray  rank  and 
a  Scotch  brigade,  to  appoint  Craggs  in  his  stead,  and  in 
answer  to  a  request  of  the  Duke's  to  return  home,  advises 
him  not  to  ask  it,  in  order  to  keep  his  officers  abroad,  but 
that  he  will  send  for  him  to  England  soon.      This  was  an 
excellent  and  most  affectionate  letter,  and  the  Duke's  an- 
swer, which  he  read  me,  was  equally  so — all  respect  and 
proper  attention. 

The  conversation  confirmed  me  in  the  opinion,  tliat 
the  Duke  of  York  has  a  very  good  understanding ;  but  he 
talks  too  much,  and  is  careless  to  whom.  I  ventured  to 
tell  him  so,  and  took  an  opportunity  of  recommending 
him  to  ask  the  superior  officers  to  dinner;  and,  as  he 
could  not  j)revent  their  writing  home,  to  try  at  least  to 
furnish   tlicm  by  Itis  conversation  there,  with  materials 


1793.J  BERLIN.  19 

which  would  do  no  harm.  Now  they,  and  particularly 
the  Guards,  write  nonsense,  almost  equal  to  mutiny.  To 
this  he  attended  with  great  good  humour.  I  staid  till 
one  in  the  morning,  and  then  returned  to  Tournay.  I  re- 
mained at  Ath  all  night — wrote  on  the  morning  of  Satur- 
day, Dec.  7.  Lord  Herbert  came  to  me,  and  we  returned 
together  to  Brussels.  He  was  very  glad  to  see  me — com- 
plained very  much  of  the  insubordination  of  the  army, 
that  it  was  greater  than  could  be  believed,  that  the 
Guards  were  so  beyond  measure  ;  that  the  Duke  of  York 
was  most  unjustly  unpopular,  and  he  believed  the  worst 
used  man  in  the  world,  as  all  his  foibles  were  cried  out 
against,  and  none  of  his  good  qualities,  which  were  many, 
noticed.  The  French,  he  said,  fought  well,  and  had 
every  appearance  of  disciplined  soldiers.  That  he  had 
seen  them  run  away,  so  had  English,  Austrians,  and  Ger- 
mans ;  praised  the  Hanoverians  iov  fig] ding,  but  not  their 
activity — Marshal  Freytag  an  old  woman — Prince  Co- 
bourg  rather  a  "  hon  homme!'  He  expressed  himself  sick 
of  the  profession,  but  could  not  leave  it.  Condemned  the 
conduct  of  Gage,  who  had  resigned  on  being  refused  leave 
of  absence.  Got  a  late  dinner  at  Lord  Elgin's.  Lady 
Webster"'  there — strange  woman,  sensible,  learned,  flighty, 
and  coquettish — they  say  not  gallant.  Went  home  to 
write — despatched  Brooke. 


Sunday,  Dec.  8. — Lord  Herbert  with  me  till  twelve, 
when  I  left  Brussels — Lord  Darnley  to  follow  the  next  day. 
Dined  at  Louvain  (Lord  Elgin  went  with  me) ;  at  Fernan, 
Nuiiez,  Spanish  Ambassador  at  Paris,  who  has  been 
living  there  ever  since  the  revolution.  He  the  same  good 
pleasant  man,  but  low  and  vexed  at  having  lost  a  great 
succession  (that  of  Rohan,  by  the  troubles  in  France,  near 
three  millions  of  livres).  His  politics  seem  right ;  his 
wife  good  humoured  ;  he  has  seven  children —  none  well- 
looking. 

Elgin  returned   to  Brussels  ;  I  went  on  and  slept  at 

*  Afterwards  Lady  Holland. 

c  2 


20  DIARIES    AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [l793. 

St.  Trond,  at  I'homme  Sauvage — moderate  inn.  Left 
St.  Trond  Monday,  Dec.  9,  at  five  —  dined  at  Aix  la 
Chapelle  —  slept  at  Juliers.  At  Liege  (Dutch  head- 
quarters) saw  several  officers  of  my  acquaintance.  Nine- 
teen hours  on  the  road. 


Tuesday,  Dec.  10. — To  Bonne — delightful  day — ten 
hours  on  the  road. 


Wednesday,  Dec.  1 1 . — To  Coblentz — eleven  hours  on 
the  road — roads  spoilt,  and  worse  than  I  ever  saw  them. 


Thursday,  Dec.  12. — Lord  Darnley  joined  me.  Left 
Coblentz  at  nine.  Passed  through  ''''  '''"  '"'  '"'  and  Limburg 
to  '"'  ''^  '"  '"",  where  we  got  by  nine,  having  dined  on  the 
road. 

Friday,  Dec.  13. — Left  '-  '"  ""  "'  —  (moderate  inn) — 
at  half-past  seven  passed  through  Koenigstein,  which  is 
quite  destroyed,  and  got  to  Frankfort  by  half-past  three, 
lload  bad.  Found  Kinckel  at  La  maison  rouge.  Luc- 
chesini  not  likely  to  succeed  at  Vienna.  His  wife  (a 
sister  of  Bishopswerder)  clever  and  meddling.  Had 
written  to  Stein — said  the  Court  of  Vienna  was  stiif — 
would  not  listen  to  a  subsidy,  or  to  an  indemnity, 
and  that  (qu'il  ne  valoit  pas  la  peine  de  s'etre  meubl6) 
for  she  foresaw  they*  should  not  remain  long  there. 
Lehrbach,  an  overl)earing  man,  and  used  to  dictatorial 
language,  from  having  always  been  employed  at  small 
courts.  Kinckel  f  did  not  know  his  present  instruc- 
tions, but  those  he  had  when  with  the  army  were  not 
conciliating.  Lucchesini,  anti-Austrian,  very  Russian, 
an   enemy  to    England,  had  by   his  intrigues  removed 


'  *  Names  illegible  in  the  original  nianusciipt. 

t  Admiral  in  the  Dutch  Servieo,  and  acting  with  Lord  Malmeshury  for 
the  States,  in  tlie  present  negotiation. 


1793.]  BERLIN.  21 

everybody  from  the  King  of  Prussia's  ear  and  confidence, 
who  were  either  English  or  Austrian  (a  very  different 
description  of  men,  however,  at  Berlin)  and  seemed  to 
favour  no  system  but  a  Russian  alliance.  He  had  de- 
ceived Lord  Yarmouth  entirely.  Sir  James  JVIurray 
sent  first  (in  March,  1793)  to  talk  over  Doumouriez's " 
intended  interview  with  Lord  Auckland  and  Vander- 
spiegel.  This  failing,  he  remained  there,  and  was  doing 
very  well,  when  Lord  Elgin  was  sent,  who  did  well,  but 
was  too  frank  and  "  loyal"  to  be  a  match  for  Lucchesini's 
cunning,  which  he  found  out  and  reproved  too  loudly. 
Lord  Yarmouth  succeeded  him,  and  was  Lucchesini's 
dupe.  Lord  Yarmouth  did,  however,  well  with  the  Duke 
of  Brunswick,  whom  he  kept  up  to  act  at  a  time  (in  Octo- 
ber) when  it  was  feared  he  was  going  back  with  his 
army. 

Mad"^  Bethman  very  artful  and  ambitious.  Had  made 
the  King  of  Prussia  believe  she  really  loved  him  for  his 
sake,  and  that  no  other  woman  ever  had  ;  this  had 
disposed  him  to  go  all  lengths — even  that  of  a  left- 
handed  marriage,  but  it  was  stopped  by  an  anonymous 
letter  her  cousin  (little  Bethman)  sent  to  Ma'^\  Lucchesini, 
to  state  the  character  and  views  of  his  relation,  and 
Lucchesini  finding  from  this,  she  would  not  answer  his 
purpose,  and  he  tractable,  was  now  doing  his  utmost 
to  overset  her.  He,  Kinckel,  believed  he  had  succeeded, 
and  that  a  young  woman  of  rank  at  Berlin,  whose  name 
he  did  not  know,  but  whom  I  suspect  to  be  Mad"\  Vienck 
was  now  nearly  declared  favorite.  Yet  that  since  this 
week  two  chasseurs  had  come  from  Potzdam  to  ]\Iad"\ 
Bethman  ;  she  is  well  made,  but  not  handsome. 

King  of  Prussia  found  in  his  treasure  seventy-six 
millions  of  crowns.  He  expended  ten  in  the  Dutch 
campaign,  twenty  in  that  of  Richenbach  (this  large  sum 
was  necessary,  as  all  his  army  was  then  to  be  put  in 
order  for  motion),  fifteen  in  his  preparations  against 
Russia,  and  fifteen  in  the  last  two — remain  then  sixteen 


*  Commander-in-Chief  of  the  French  Republican  army  on  the  N.  E. 
frontier. 


22  DIARIES   AND    CORRESPONDENCE.  [l793. 

millions  from  his  original  treasure,  to  wliicli  must  be 
added,  according  to  Kinckel's  calculation,  three  and  a  half 
millions,  which  are  supposed  to  be  saved  each  year.  Of 
course  the  whole  remaining  treasure  may  be  forty-one  or 
forty-two  millions  of  dollars. 

Prince  de  Nassau'"''  very  well  with  the  King,  and  the 
instrument  the  Empress  of  Russia  employs — He  also  well 
with  Lucchesini.  Kinckel  observed,  that,  as  the  King  of 
Prussia  would  not  allow  us  to  reckon  Hanoverians,  he 
could  not  reckon  the  Saxons — there  were  6,000,  and  if 
taken  from  his  army  would  leave  it  42,000  men  ;  that  is, 
10,000  more  only  than  his  contingent  to  the  House  of 
Austria,  and  quote  part  to  the  empire,  and  for  these 
10,000  he  asked  twenty-two  millions  of  crowns.  Kinckel 
said  that  Bishopswerder  told  him,  that  Lord  Elgin,  when  in 
Italy,  would  have  succeeded  in  making  a  triple  alliance 
for  the  purpose  of  general  peace  and  tranquillity  when  he 
was  with  the  Emperor  Leopold  at  Florence,  if  he  had  not 
run  too  much  after  Mad'"^  Lamberti  (Leopold's  mistress) 
and  by  that  means  displeased  and  soured  him.  Bishops- 
werder he  thinks  an  honest  man,  and  of  strict  integrity — 
certainly  for  an  Austrian  connexion,  and  might  'perhaps 
be  made  very  useful.  Lucchesini  venal,  and  bought  he 
believes  by  Russia.  Stein  (once  a  favorite,  and  his  minis- 
ter at  Mayence)  now  disgraced.  Alopeus  not  noticed  by 
the  King  on  his  return.  King  displeased  with  Treaty  of 
Alliance  between  Russia  and  Poland. 

Kinckel  said  ]\Iad'"\  de  Lucchesini  was  very  averse  to 
live  at  Berlin,  and  would  object  strongly  to  her  husband's 
return  —  Mad'"^  Bishopswerder  and  Mad"'^  Lucchesini 
sisters.  The  first  was  a  Mad'"^  Pinto,  and  Bishopswerder 
was  divorced  from  his  first  wife,  who  is  still  living,  and 
by  whom  his  daughters  are.  Lucchesini  relies  much  on 
the  inlluence  of  ]\^ad"'^  Bishopswerder  over  her  husband. 
She  is  a  vain  talking  woman,  not  to  be  trusted,  but 
may  be  made  useful  by  discreet  management. 

It  is  believed  the  King  of  Prussia  left  the  army  with 

*  Spurious  Prince,  a  sort  of  bettennost  adventurer,  eiuiiloycd  by  Empress 
Catherine. — Original  Note. 


1793.]  BERLIN.  23 

reluctance,  and  was  intrigued  and  cajoled  into  it  by 
Lucchesiui.  He  staid  two  days  at  Frankfort  (not  merely 
to  see  Mad"^  Bethman)  but  because  he  was  doubtful, 
whether  he  should  not  rejoin  the  army,  and  was  Ioav  and 
ashamed  of  what  he  had  done.  At  the  army  his  return 
is  considered  as  sure.  He  has  left  his  equipage  at  Ans- 
pach,  and  his  two  sons  theirs,  at  Mentz,  His  connexion 
with  ]\Iad"\  Bethman  is  one  of  sentiment.  She  is  too 
artful  to  let  it  go  further.  Her  cousin  and  relations  want 
her  to  marry  a  Mons.  Jeannot,  a  merchant  at  Frankfort ; 
she  declines  this,  and  has  certainly  in  view  a  left-handed 
marriage  with  the  King.  Manstein  not  in  high  favor, 
but  belonging  to  the  "  Conseil  de  Guerre" — An  empty 
good-for-nothing  fellow — French  to  a  degree,  was  over- 
heard talking  to  the  French  Commissaries  at  Worms,  in  the 
most  abject  and  flattering  way.  Reeden  (Dutch  Minister) 
gets  his  intelligence  through  his  wife's  mother — from 
jMinister  Schulenberg.  Reeden  ill  at  Court — Lucchesini 
called  him,  Ewart,  and  Hertzberg,  the  triumim^ate. 
"  Ewart  avait  I'esprit,  Hertzberg  la  plume,  and  Pieeden 
les  poumons."  Prince  Louis,  son  to  Prince  Ferdinand  of 
Bninswick,  has  democratical  leanings;  very  brave  but 
"  etourdi;"  wants  to  raise  500,000  florins  by  subscription 
to  form  a  kind  of  independent  legion  to  be  given  after- 
wards to  the  best  bidder.  Hompesch,  the  hussar,  deep 
in  this. 

From  many  circumstances  it  seems  likely  that  Lucche- 
sini is  bought  by  France  through  Merlin. 


LORD    MALMESBURY    TO    THE    HONORABLE   THOMAS    PELHAM. 

Frankfort,  Dec.  IStli,  1793. 

]\Iy  dear  Pelham. — I  had  a  great  deal  of  interesting 
and  confidential  conversation  with  the  Duke  of  York  (at 
Alost  on  the  6th  instant),  too  much  so  to  be  trusted  on 
paper  to  the  common  post ;  the  result,  as  far  as  it  related 
to  himself,  went  to  confinn  me  in  the  good  opinion  I 
always  was  disposed  to  have  of  him,  and  in  general  not 
to  alter  that  I  had  of  many  mistakes  which  had  defeated 


24  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [1793. 

the  effects  of  liis  exertions  and  abilities,  and  rendered  the 
end  of  the  campaign  less  brilliant  than  its  beginning.  He 
was  not  insensible  to  these,  but  he  expressed  a  very  ear- 
nest and  anxious  desire,  that  if  any  of  the  more  violent 
Members  of  Opposition,  (and  he  named  Grey,)  should  in 
their  attempt  to  distress  and  criminate  Government  affect 
any  solicitude  about  him  and  his  situation,  or  even  if  they 
should  join  him  in  the  common  blame  and  censure  about 
Dunkirk,  or  any  other  military  operation,  I  say,  that  in 
either  of  these  cases,  the  Duke  of  York  expressed  his 
earnest  and  anxious  desire,  that  none  of  his  friends,  out 
of  regard  and  attachment  to  him,  should  say  anything 
ivhich  might  raise  a  cry  against  Ministers  or  iveaken 
their  measures  by  defending  him  at  their  expense.  That 
such  a  defence,  however  gratifying  it  might  be  to  him, 
would  necessarily  go  to  weaken  Government,  and  in  its 
effect  militate  directly  against  a  cause — the  support  of 
which  he  considered  as  a  duty  before  which  every  personal 
consideration  whatsoever  ought  to  give  way.  That  it 
would  be  impossil^le  to  separate  in  the  minds  of  the  many 
partial  blame  of  any  one  specific  measure,  in  the  course 
of  the  war,  from  a  general  disapprobation  of  the  principle 
on  which  it  was  begun  and  continued,  and  that  the  very 
worst  of  consequences  would  attend  such  an  idea  being 
attributed  to  those  whom  he  was  happy  to  think  his  best 
friends.  He  named  you  and  Mr.  Wyndham,  and  expressly 
directed  me  to  Avrite  to  you  both,  and  which  I  have  done 
in  his  own  words,  as  nearly  as  I  can  recollect  them ;  I  am 
sure  I  have  not  altered  them.  The  only  case  in  which 
he  hoped  to  be  defended  was,  if  any  gross  and  obviously 
abusive  attack  should  be  made  upon  him,  and  then  he 
wished  (as  this  would  be  evidently  made  to  provoke),  that 
the  defence  should  rest  on  general  grounds,  and  all  parti- 
cular details  and  personalities  avoided. 

I  am  the  more  anxious  to  write  to  you  on  this 
subject,  as  I  knew  it  was  one  you  were  desirous  of 
being  informed  on.  I  intimated  this  to  the  Duke,  and 
T  am  sure  you  will  love  and  esteem  him  the  more 
for  this  manly  and  liberal  behaviour.  I  have  written 
this  nearly  verbatim  to  Wyndham  also  at  his  request, 


1793.]  BERLIN.  25 

and  I  wish  you  would  concert  with  him,  and  with  such 
other  persons  as  you  have  confidence  in,  in  order 
that  they  may  observe  the  line  of  conduct  the  Duke 
wishes;  as,  although  his  sentiments  on  this  occasion  must 
add  to  the  zeal  and  ardour  of  his  friends,  yet  he  is  most 
certainly  as  right  and  judicious  in  what  he  advises,  as  he 
is  moderate  and  forbearing  in  his  feelings ;  for  it  is  un- 
doubtedly of  the  last  importance,  that  Parliament  should 
open  with  the  greatest  appearance  of  unanimity,  and  that 
England  should  give  the  impression  to  Europe,  that  all 
private  animosities  and  party  feuds  are  lost  in  the  great 
cause  for  which  we  are  struggling,  and  be  assured  that  all 
good  and  great  impressions  can  come  from  England  alone. 
IVIy  dear  Pelham,  be  convinced  that  it  is  not  because  I 
am  in  a  sort  of  employment  that  I  hold  this  language — 
I  would  hold  it  even  if  Lord  Lansdowne  was  Minister, 
and  every  step  I  move  on  the  Continent  convinces  me 
that  to  hold  any  other,  or  to  express  a  different  sentiment 
would  be  committing  a  decided  act  of  Jacobinism.  You 
must  give  me  credit  for  this,  and  upon  assertion,  for  I 
have  neither  time  nor  opportunity  to  prove  it,  which  if 
you  were  sitting  with  me  I  could  and  would  do  in  an 
hour.  I  am,  &c.  Malmesbury. 


Saturday,  Dec.  14. — Ptode  with  Kiuckel — went  to  a 
bookseller,  by  name  Elsinger — excellent  one — walked 
afterwards  round  the  whole  town,  and  dined  with  Beth- 
man  ;  various  people  at  dinner — good,  in  the  German 
style.  His  mother  well  mannered,  and  his  sisters,  one 
married  to  a  Swiss,  M.  Levi,  the  other  a  widow.  Beth- 
man  (the  young  man)  quite  right,  alarmed. — Told  Lord 
Darnley,  Lucchesini  was  gone  to  treat  with  the  Court 
of  Vienna — that  he  was  to  propose  their  giving  back 
Galicia  for  Alsace  and  Lorraine  (this  I  do  not  believe)  ; 
I  settled  a  correspondence  with  him.  Wrote  to  Wynd- 
liam  and  Pelham. 


Sunday,   Dec.   15. — Breakfasted  with  Kinckel.      Left 


2G  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [l793. 

Frankfort  at  nine — got  to  Schotteu  in  twelve  hours — 
roads  indifferent. 


Monday,  Dec.  16. — Left  Scliotten  at  six — got  to  Ber- 
gen hj  nine — roads  very  good  to  Vaclia — bad  and  hilly 
from  thence  to  Bergen.     Dined  very  well  at  the  post. 


Tuesday,  Dec.  17. — Left  Bergen  at  half-past  seven — 
arrived  at  Gotha  at  three — forced  to  stop  there,  as 
the  Princesses  of  Mecklenburgh  had  taken  all  the  horses. 
Lord  Darnley  left  me  at  Bergen,  intending  to  go  round 
by  Dresden  to  Berlin.  Gotha,  a  town  of  a  middling  size, 
in  a  very  open  country,  on  the  north  side  of  a  hill; 
running  water  in  most  of  the  streets,  or  "  trottoirs." 
The  palace  on  an  eminence  finely  placed — commands 
the  town  and  adjacent  country.  Apparently  large  ; 
bad,  or  rather  no  architecture ;  pleasant  drive  round 
the  toAvn  on  the  outside.  No  symptoms  of  trade — Al- 
manacs famous. 


Wednesday,  Dec.  18. — Left  Gotha  at  twelve — got  to 
Erfurt  by  four — still  stopped  by  the  Princesses.  Erfurt, 
an  academy  with  only  eighty  students.  An  ill-looking 
town  ;  belongs  to  Elector  of  Mentz — the  Coadjutor  re- 
sides here. 


Thursday,  Dec.  19. — Left  Erfurt  at  seven — got  to 
Naumljerg  at  six.  I  never  saw  such  fine  weather  in 
December;  no  rain,  no  wind,  no  frost  during  any  part 
of  my  journey,  but  mild  sunshine.  Good  inns  at  the  post 
at  Erfurt,  at  Naumberg,  and  civil  landlords. 


Friday,  Dec.  20. — ^Slater,  the  messenger,  overtook  me 
at  four  in  the  morning  with  despatches.  Lord  Grenville 
a})proves  the  idea  of   Les  .Billets  de  Confumce.     Lord 


1793.]  BERLIN.  27 

Howe  returned  emptj-handed.     Left  Naumberg  at  half- 
past  seven — at  Leipsic  by  five — sent  Slater  on  to  Berlin. 


Saturday,  Dec.  21. — Left  Leipsic  at  seven — Witten- 
berg by  nine — dined  in  my  carriage. 


Sunday,  Dec.  22. — Left  Wittenberg  at  a  quarter  before 
four — got  to  Berlin  by  one  in  the  morning — dined  in  my 
carriage — Lord  Darnley  just  got  there  before  me  ;  lodged 
at  the  Ville  de  Paris,  where  rooms  were  taken  for  me. 


MoxDAY,  Dec.  23. — Rose,  Secretary  of  Legation,  and 
Charg6  des  Affaires  came  to  me — desired  him  to  an- 
nounce my  arrival  to  Count  Finckenstein,  according  to 
usual  form.  Baron  Reeden,  Dutch  j\Iinister,  called  on 
me — his  information  similar  to  that  I  had  heard  from 
the  Pensionary,  as  to  the  situation  and  disposition  of 
the  Court — assured  me  that  I  might  lead  it — that  I 
had  been  expected  with  great  impatience — that  the 
treasure  was  exhausted — pressed  very  much  that  the 
plan  of  the  next  campaign  should  be  settled  here — 
oifered  me  his  best  services  and  assistance — walked — 
dined  at  home — went  to  Count  Finckenstein — left  him 
a  copy  of  my  credentials — told  him  the  substance  of  my 
commission — mentioned  no  details.  He  said  the  King 
would  see  me  as  soon  as  possible. 


Tuesday,  Dec,  24. — Count  Finckenstein,  by  a  note,  in- 
formed me  the  King  would  see  me  at  a  quarter  past  four 
next  day — wi'ote — dined  with  Reeden  ;  Count  Lehrbach, 
who  is  here  on  the  same  errand  as  myself  from  the  Court 
of  Vienna,  and  Prince  Reuss  dined  there.  At  half-past 
four  I  had  my  audience,  being  introduced  by  Count 
Finckenstein — King  altered  in  his  looks,  has  lost  his 
upper  teeth.  I  ol3served  to  him  that  I  had  no  dij)lo- 
matic   rank,  that  I  had  declined  it  purposely  to  avoid 


28  DIARIES   AND    CORRESPONDENCE.  [l793. 

subjecting  myself  to  the  etiquette  and  privation  be- 
longing to  it — that  I  hoped  His  Majesty  would  receive 
me  with  his  usual  goodness,  and  admit  me  to  his  society, 
as  he  had  done  before — from  him  to  the  Queens,  reigning 
and  dowager,  both  very  civil  to  me — from  them  to  the 
wedding  of  the  Prince  Royal — the  ceremony  as  usual 
(this  the  sixth  wedding  I  have  been  present  at,  at  Berlin) 
■ — supped  at  Count  Finckenstein's  table — Madame  de 
Haugwiz,  wife  to  the  Acting  j\Iinister  for  Foreign  Affairs. 
Finckenstein  appointed  me  to  meet  him  and  his  two  col- 
leagues, Alvensleben  and  Haugwiz,  at  eleven  the  next 
morning. 


Wednesday,  Dec.  2.5. — At  eleven  to  the  conference — 
dined  at  the  Prince  Royal's — at  five  to  a  Court  of  Compli- 
ment to  the  Princess  Royal,  and  from  thence  to  a  supper 
at  the  King's — played  with  the  Princess  Royal  at  Cassino 
— many  old  acquaintances.  On  return  home  found 
Hislop  from  Petersburg — letters  from  Whitworth'""  an- 
nounce the  Empress's  good  disposition,  and  that  she  was 
going  to  send  Prince  Nassau  to  enforce  them — sorry  for 
it — re-despatched  Hislop. 


Thursday,  Dec,  26. — Began  writing  my  despatches  ; 
called  on  Rose ;  at  11,  at  a  second  conference  as  the  day 
before,  the  casus  foederis  avowed,  poverty  pleaded,  good- 
will promised,  &c.,  &c.  Called  on  Reeden,  and  on  Lehr- 
bach — this  last  very  talkative  and  prolix,  but  right  and 
well-inclined  ;  stated  his  commission,  &c. — observed  the 
difference  of  conduct  held  by  King  of  Prussia  at  Vienna 
and  at  London.  Seemed  full  of  suspicions  about  this  Court. 
I  spoke  very  openly  to  him.  Dined  at  Arnheim's.  Mar- 
riage of  Prince  Louis ;  the  two  brothers  marry  two  sis- 
ters, daughters  to  Prince  Cliarles  of  Mecklenberg,  and 
nieces  to  the  Queen  of  England.     This  evening  the  same 

*  Sir  Chillies  Wliitwortli,  English  Minister  at  St.  Pctcrshurg. 


1793.]  BERLIN.  29 

as  Tuesday — dined  with  Madame  Ilaugwiz.     Wrote  let- 
ters till  a  late  hour. 


Friday,  Dec.  27. — Writing  till  one  o'clock.  Despatched 
WiiFen.  Dined  with  the  Queen's  Court  at  Princess 
Louise's.  Ball  and  sup^ier  in  the  Great  Apartments  as  at 
Court — told  the  King  of  Prince  Nassau's  appointment. 


EXTRACT  OF  A  DESPATCH    FROM  LORD  MALMESBURY    TO  LORD 

GRENVILLE. 

Berlin,  26th  Dec,  1793. 

I  AM  happy  that  the  result  of  my  audience  with  His 
Prussian  Majesty,  and  that  the  conferences  I  have  had 
since  with  his  Ministers,  enable  me  to  send  away  the 
messenger  Wiffin  sooner  than  I  thought  it  would  be  in  my 
power  to  do,  when  I  wrote  to  your  Lordship  on  Tuesday 
last. 

I  was  introduced  on  the  evening  of  that  day  to  the 
King  of  Prussia  by  Count  Finckenstein,  and  I  remained 
alone  with  His  Prussian  Majesty  for  half  an  hour,  after 
delivering,  in  the  usual  form  and  with  the  usual  compli- 
ments, my  credentials,  and  receiving  from  His  Prussian  Ma- 
jesty the  usual  answer.  I  asked  leave  to  enter  with  him 
on  business,  saying,  that  experience  had  left  a  very  lasting 
and  agreeable  impression  on  my  mind  ;  that  he  had  before 
admitted  me  to  that  honour,  and  that  very  essential  ad- 
vantages had  been  derived  from  it.  On  His  Majesty^ 
acquiescing  readily  in  my  request,  I  stated  to  him  in  very 
respectful  terms  the  first  point  of  my  instructions,  and 
declared  that  till  it  was  distinctly  acknowledged  that  the 
treaty  of  alliance  of  August  13,  1788,  existed  in  its  full 
force,  and  that  the  present  war  was  admitted  as  a  casus 
foederis,  my  hands  were  tied  from  proceeding  a  step 
further,  and  that  I  was  ordered  to  obtain  this  avowal  pre- 
vious to  any  other  discussion  whatever. 

The  King  of  Prussia  expressed  a  surprise  that  a  possi- 


80  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [l793. 

ble  idea  could  exist  of  his  dej^arting  from  the  principles 
of  the  Treaty,  or  of  his  intentions  to  observe  its  stipula- 
tions being  doubted  ;  but,  without  breaking  into  what  I 
intended  to  say  by  dwelling  on  tliis  point,  at  this  period 
of  the  conversation,  I  went  on  by  observing,  that  His 
Prussian  Majesty's  good  faith  never  could  be  called  in 
question,  that  the  King,  my  master,  had  the  strongest 
confidence  in  it,  and  the  utmost  reliance  on  the  strict  in- 
tegrity and  high  honour  of  his  character  ;  that  besides 
this  motive  for  adhering  to  his  engagements,  the  glory  of 
his  arms  and  military  reputation  rested  on  his  not  giving 
up  a  cause,  the  defence  of  which  he  had  begun  so  nobly 
and  maintained  so  bravely  ;  that  his  political  interests  and 
consideration,  and  even  safety,  were  also  intimately  con- 
nected with  his  not  withdrawing  himself  from  the  num- 
ber of  the  coalesced  Powers,  and  that  to  these  three 
strong  incentives  of  good  faith,  honour,  and  interest, 
a  still  more  imperious  one  might  be  added, — that  of  ne- 
cessity. For  it  was  impossible  for  His  Prussian  Majesty 
to  say  that  the  war  should  cease,  or  to  stop  that  horde  of 
barbarians  whose  steps  were  to  be  traced  by  anarchy  and 
cruelty  wherever  they  came,  from  overrunning  his  domi- 
nions, and  eifecting  ultimately  the  destruction  of  his 
monarchy. 

Your  Lordship  will  naturally  suppose  that  I  repeat 
only  the  substance  of  what  I  said,  not  the  words  in  which 
I  spoke;  these  I  endeavoured  to  make  the  most  suitable 
to  the  great  personage  to  ■whom  I  was  addressing  myself; 
but  I  also  endeavoured  that  my  meaning  should  not  be 
lost  in  too  much  attention  to  ceremony.  His  Prussian 
Majesty,  as  I  went  on,  acquiesced  in  everything  I  ad- 
vanced, and  from  the  manner  with  which  he  listened  to 
me,  I  was  induced  to  hope  (and  I  expressed  this  hope), 
that  the  unpleasant  impressions  the  two  ]\Iemorials  of  the 
23rd  September  and  lOth  November  had  given,  would  be 
done  away,  and  that  His  Prussian  Majesty  would  order 
liis  Ministers  to  reconsider  them,  and  empower  them, 
when  I  should  meet  them  to  discuss  on  these  points,  to 
say  to  me,  what  I  had  begun  by  stating  as  an  indispensa- 
ble preliminary  to  all  further  discussion,  viz.,   that  His 


1793.]  BERLIN.  31 

Prussian  Majesty  considered  the  Treaty  of  1788  to  exist 
in  its  full  force,  and  all  its  stipulations  as  binding. 

His  Prussian  Majesty  declared  in  the  strongest  manner 
that  he  never  had  the  most  remote  idea  of  departing  from 
the  Treaty  of  Alliance.     That  if  he  had  expressed  doubts 
as  to  the  sense  in  which  its  stipulations  were  to  be  under- 
stood at  this  moment,  it  was  not  from  any  alteration 
either  in  his  sentiments  of  cordial  and  sincere  friendship 
for  His  Majesty,  or  in  those  of  his  abhorrence  and  detes- 
tation of  the  ruling  party  in  France  ;  that  he  continued 
to  set  the  highest  value  on  His  Majesty's  alliance ;  that  he 
considered  it  as  the  one  the  most  conformable  to  the  inte- 
rests of  the  kingdom,  and  a  perfect  cooperation  with  His 
Majesty  as  the  most  likely  to  put  a  short  and  successful 
end  to  the  present  war ;  that  it  was  from  the  peculiar  cir- 
cumstances of  this  war,  that  these  doubts  had  originally 
arisen,  but  that  he  was  fully  disposed  to  dismiss  them, 
and  acknowledge,   fairly   and   candidly,    that   the    real 
reason   which  made  it   equally  impossible   for   him   to 
begin  another  campaign,  with  the  same  force  as  the  last, 
and  to  grant  the  succours  we  required,  was  the  imnt  of 
money.     He  then  said.  You  will,  I  am  sure,  believe  me 
when  I  tell  you,  on  the  faith  of  an  honest  man,  and  for 
being  one,  I  hope  the  King,  your  Master,  will  give  me 
credit,   I  have  not  in  my  treasure  enough  to  pay  the 
expenses  of  a  third  campaign.     Those  I  have  incurred 
since  my  accession  are  not  unknown  to  you.     You  also 
know  that  the  late  King  strained  the  resources  to  their 
highest  pitch,  that  I  cannot  raise  a  new  tax  on  my  sub- 
jects, that  to  attempt  it  would  drive  them  to  the  worst 
consequences,   without  its  producing  anything,  and  that 
the  nature  of  the  Prussian  monarchy  is  such  that  it  can- 
not bear  a  loan.     In  short,  that  without  my  allies  come 
to  my  assistance,  and  afford   me  pecuniary  support,   I 
shall  be  compelled  to  stop  short  in  the  war,  and  leave 
only  a  small  portion  of  my  army  on  the  Rhine,  and  I  feel, 
added  his  Majesty,  the  importance  of  its  not  being  les- 
sened, and  the  consequences  of  it,  in  as  strong  a  manner 
as  any  of  the  coalesced  Powers,  for  they  affect  me  as 
much  as  they  do  them. 


32  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [l703. 

"  I  have  no  difficulty,"  continued  the  King  of  Prussia, 
"  in  stating  this  embarrassed  situation  of  my  finances  to 
you,  openly,  and  without  fear  ;  I  have  not  exhausted  my 
treasure  in  idle  or  useless  expenses,  and,  although  per- 
haps at  times  the  most  exact  economy  has  not  been 
observed,  yet  it  has  been  employed  in  forwarding  mea- 
sures which  related  to  the  general  interests  of  Europe,  as 
well  as  to  the  particular  ones  of  Prussia.  It  cannot  be 
those  of  England  to  see  me  degraded  and  sunk  ;  and  this 
certainty,  joined  to  my  high  notion  of  your  national 
character,  leaves  me  without  apprehension  as  to  the  con- 
sequences of  the  declaration  I  make,  which  I  repeat  to  be 
the  sole  and  real  cause  for  my  apparent  backwardness  in 
continuing  the  war."  His  Prussian  Majesty  then  spoke 
on  a  subject  I  had  avoided  mentioning,  and  said  sus- 
picions and  jealousies  had  l)een  entertained  of  him  ;  that 
it  was  but  too  natural,  that  ill  wishers  to  him  and  to  the 
cause  should  be  industrious  to  give  such  reports  the  air 
of  veracity,  but  that  they  were  in  fact  the  grossest  impo- 
sitions on  truth  and  common  sense,  and  that  far  from 
objecting  to  any  indemnities  the  Court  of  Vienna  might 
wish  to  have  (arising  from  France),  He  not  only  thouglit 
such  indemnities  perfectly  reasonable,  but  should  see 
them  carried  into  execution  with  the  greatest  pleasure. 

This  is  nearly  what  His  Prussian  Majesty  said ;  I 
ended  the  Conference  by  asking  his  permission  to  address 
myself  directly  to  him,  when  I  should  have  anything  ma- 
terial to  say,  and  that  he  has  allowed  me  to  do,  and 
I  took  my  leave,  by  expressing  my  hopes  that  I  should 
find  his  Ministers  prepared  for  what  I  had  to  say  to  them. 


EXTRACT    OF   A    LETTER   FROM   LORD    MALMESBURY    TO    MADAME 

LA    COMTESSE    DE    BALBI. 

Berlin,  27  Decembie,  1793. 

Le  pen  do  momens  que  j'ai  passe  avec  vous  a  Bruxelles, 
Madame  la  Comtesse,  ne  m'a  laiss^  que  des  regrets  de  ce 
que  je  n'ai  i)as  pu  vous  voir,  pendant  plus  long  tems  ;  d'y 
supi)lccr  par  des  lettrcs  est  unc  manicre  bicn  pen  satis- 


1793.]  BERLIN.  33 

faisante.  IVIille  clioses  se  diseiit  mutuelleinent,  qui  pren- 
nent  une  autre  forme  des  qu'elles  se  trouvent  placees 
dans  une  lettre,  quand  meine  comme  celle-ci,  elle  ne 
sera  pas  exposee  a  Tinspectiou  des  maitres  de  postes. 
J'ai  regrette  surtout  d  avoir  passe  si  superficiellement 
sur  ce  que  vous  m'avez  dit  du  voyage  eventuel  de  Mon- 
sieur a  Toulon.'"'  Je  ne  sais  pas  a.  present  comment 
rattraper  cette  occasion,  sans  avoir  I'air  de  faire  Toffi- 
cieux,  ou  bien  le  Miuistre.  Cependant  je  ne  suis  motive 
que  par  un  attacliement  aussi  zel^  que  sincere,  et  respec- 
tueux  pour  Monsieur,  ce  qui,  joint  a  une  connoissance 
l^gere,  mais  assez  certaine  des  afiaires  du  moment,  me  fait 
desirer,  et  m'engage  meme,  a  liazarder  de  vous  exprimer 
ce  d^sir  que  Monsieur  n'entreprenne  pas  le  voyage  qu  on 
Fa  invite  a  faire.  II  est  difficile,  mais  tres  difficile  qu'il 
en  resulte  gloire  ou  avantage  pour  lui,  ou  pour  sa  cause, 
et  son  eloignement,  de  ce  c6te-ci  de  I'Europe  dans  les  cir- 
constances  actuelles  pent  avoir  des '  inconveniens  reels 
pour  Tun  et  pour  Fautre.  Je  suis  sur,  Madame  la  Com- 
tesse,  que  votre  esprit  penetrant  les  saisit  d'aljord ;  si  vous 
les  envisagez  comme  moi,  votre  opinion  sera  conforme  a 
la  mienne,  et  votre  opinion  (comme  de  raison)  pent  l)eau- 
coup.f  Elle  sera  selon  moi  employee  bien  heureusement,  si 
elle  sert  a  determiner  Monsieur  a  revenir  dans  ces  parages. 
A  moins  que  les  affaires  prennent  une  tournure  bien 
heureuse,  il  ne  pent  rien  k  Toulon.  Et  si  ceci  arrive, 
comme  j'aime  a  croire,  un  Regent  de  France  fera  cent 
fois  plus  d'effet  de  ce  c6te-ci,  qu'enferm6  dans  une  place 
assieg^e,  ou  sa  presence  ne  fera  que  redoubler  les  efforts 
des  assiegeants.  Leur  surcroit  d'acharnement  contre  la 
ville  pent  meme  occasionner  en  addition,  et  s'il  y  a  des 
malveillants  parmi  les  habitans,  ils  peuvent  degouter  les 
autres,  et  avec  un  tel  otage  entre  leurs  mains,  les  per- 
suader a  marchander  un  accommodement,  et  il  n'est  pas 
besoin  de  vous  mettre  sous  les  yeux  tout  ce  qui  resul- 

*  Toulon  had,  early  in  this  year,  been  given  up  to  Lord  Hood,  on  condi- 
tion that  it  should  be  returned  to  the  Bourbons  at  their  restoration.  We 
held  it  till  the  end  of  the  year,  when  we  abandoned  it  to  the  Republican 
armies,  having  first  brought  oiF  our  troops  and  destroyed  the  shipping. 

t  Madame  Balbi  had  great  personal  influence  with  Monsieur,  afterwards 
Lou-is  XV'in. 

VOL.  Ill,  D 


34  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [l793. 

teroit  cl'aiFreux  si  Monsieur  se  troiivoit  au  pouvoir  des 
Patriotes. 

"  Je  sais  la  juste  deference  qui  est  due  a  la  Cour  de 
Madrid,  qu'elle  a  agi  depuis  la  Guerre  avec  toute  la 
loyaut6  possible,  mais  peut-etre  n'a-t-elle  pas  calcule  les 
inconv^iiens  que  je  vieus  de  citer,  et  je  les  crois  si  reels, 
que  je  ne  doute  nulleraent  que  s'ils  furent  repr^sent^s  en 
Espagne,  elle  ne  voudroit  plus  que  Monsieur  entreprisse 
de  se  jetter  dans  Toulon. 

"  Je  suis  si  accoutuin6  de  vous  parler  avec  toute  la 
confiauce  possible,  IVIadame  la  Comtesse,  que  je  ne  crains 
pas  de  penser  haut  avec  vous,  sur  que  de  telle  mani^re 
que  vous  envisagiez  mes  sentimens,  vous  n'en  ferez  jamais 
un  mauvais  usage." 


Saturday,  Dec.  28. — Prince  Ferdinand  presented  to 
the  King. — Visit  to  Lelirbach — shewed  me  his  memorials 
on  arrival  here — those  which  had  passed  between  Luc- 
chesiui  and  the  Austrian  ministers. — Lucchesini's  style 
harsh,  and  not  cordial — evidently  with  a  view  to  get  the 
Court  of  Vienna  into  a  promise  of  pecuniary  succours 
before  England,  in  order  to  facilitate  their  project. — 
Italian  and  shabby.  Dined  with  the  Prince  Louis.  Opera. 
Supper  at  Prince  Royal's.  King  told  me  of  bad  news 
from  "Wurmser's  army  —  that  he  had  lost  two  battalions 
and  twenty-one  pieces  of  cannon.  He  seemed  rather 
pleased  with  this  bad  news,''"  but  admitted  that  it  would 
do  harm  by  raising  the  spirits  of  the  Jacobins. — Talked 
of  Ifassau's  coming.  I  said  I  hoped  his  commission 
would  noiu  be  useless.  Madame  de  Reuss,  niece  to  Prince 
Sacken. 


Sunday,  Dec.  29. — With  Colonel  JManstein  by  appoint- 
ment, at  11.  He  pressed  much  for  a  plan  of  campaign 
—  condemned  the  last — said  tlic  first  should  have  been 


Tliis  feeling  of  hatred  towards  Austria  was  shared  by  every  Minister  at 
Berlin,  and  every  officer  in  the  Prussian  army,  and  rendered  all  our  efforts 
to  eomhinc  efficiently  the  two  nations  aaainst  Fiance  nnavailins'. 


1793.]  BERLIN.  35 

made  against  Lorraine,  not  against  Alsace — this  was 
against  the  course  of  the  Rhine,  and  of  course  the 
country  rose  —  that  it  carried  the  two  armies  from  each 
other — urged  the  necessity  of  money ;  that  it  was  im- 
portant that  it  should  be  known "  if  it  was  to  be  given, 
that  measures  may  be  taken — said  it  would  require  three 
months  and  a  half  to  put  the  army  in  readiness  to  begin 
the  campaign — talked  of  recruiting,  magazines,  &c.  &c, 
— he  seems  heavy,  but  not  without  parts.  Walked  for 
the  first  time.  Dined  at  Hertzberg's — found  him  shew- 
ing three  Poles,  on  a  map,  how  he  would  have  divided 
Poland,  if  he  had  been  consulted.  Great  and  moderate 
dinner.  The  Minister  Blumenthal  preaching  peace. 
Ball  and  supper  at  the  Queen's — played  with  Prince 
Sacken  and  Prince  Ch,  of  Mecklenburg. 


Monday,  Dec.  30. — Walked — dined  at  Nesselrode's — 
immense  dinner — opera  bufia.  Bad  news  from  Wurmser 
confirmed.  Lehrbach  came  to  me  dejected  and  alarmed 
— said  Wurmser's  letter  to  the  Duke  of  Brunswick  was 
that  of  a  man  "  au  d^sespoir,"  that  he  seemed  to  have 
lost  his  head — represented  his  whole  army  as  ruined,  &c. 
The  Duke  of  Brunswick's  "  rapport"  and  observations 
tending  to  enforce  this — advises  the  keeping  beyond  the 
Rhine. 


Tuesday,  Decejtber  31. — Walked  +o  upholsterer's  and 
cabinet-maker's. — Lehrbach — he  read  me  all  the  unfavor- 
able accounts  from  the  Rhine,  as  they  were  communicated 
to  him  to  show  me,  by  Colonel  Manstein. — The  Austrian 
army  was  attacked  and  beaten  by  the  French  near 
Trischweiler  on  the  22nd  —  lost  two  battalions  and 
twenty-five  cannons — French  approach  Landau,  which 
must  be  saved — Wurmser  retreating — Duke  of  Bruns- 
wick advises  a  battle — Wurmser  declines  it — writes  a 
desponding  letter  to  the  Duke  of  Brunswick,  dated 
Frenckenfeldt,  2Gth  December,  1 793 — describes  his  army 

d2 


3G  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [l703. 

as  ruined,  not  in  a  state  to  be  kept  togetlier — relates  the 
position  he  has  taken,  but  says  he  cannot  keep  it,  but 
must  retire  beyond  the  Rhine  to  save  his  army  from  utter 
annihilation- — Duke's  answer  to  this  is,  to  advise  an  im- 
mediate concert  of  measures,  to  attempt  to  save  the  hos- 
pitals, magazines,  &c. ;  to  keep  his  position  till  the  28th, 
and  then  retire  beyond  the  river  Leich,  and  canton  from 
Hambach  to  Germersheim ;  if  \Yurmser  cannot  keep  be- 
yond the  Rhine,  at  least  to  secure  Manheim,  and  keep  up 
the  communication  between  the  two  armies;  that  on  this 
the  safety  of  Germany  depended. 

The  Duke  of  Brunswick,  in  the  report  he  makes  of  this 
defeat  to  the  King,  says,  "  que  I  Armte  Imperiale  est 
entierement  renversee,  et  se  ttvuve  dans  un  Hat  d'qjuise- 
ment  et  de  mecontentement ;"  that  by  his  movement  he  had 
prevented  its  being  cut  ofi'  from  Weissenberg ;  that  he 
had  proposed  to  attack  the  French,  but  that  Wurmser's 
army  was  not  in  a  state  for  it ;  that  on  the  26th  he  had 
repulsed  the  French.  The  Duke  then  describes  his  posi- 
tion to  the  King  ;  ap])rehends  that  the  Austrians  must 
repass  the  Rhine,  and  that,  by  this  means,  the  "  blocus" 
of  Landau  must  be  raised,  and  nothing  to  be  done  but  to 
canton  the  armv  near  Mentz, 

Duke  of  Brunswick,  in  a  letter  to  Manstein,  described  the 
Austrian  army  as  without  head,  without  money,  and  wifli- 
oiit  discipline — recommends  the  King  to  write  to  Prince 
Cobourg,  to  attempt  a  diversion  in  the  Low  Countries,  to 
re-inforce  his  army  near  Treves,  and  to  cover  Coblentz. 

All  these  accounts,  though  true  in  great  part,  are  pro- 
bably exaggerated,  and  sent  with  a  view  to  depress  the 
Court  of  Vienna,  and  facilitate  the  demands  made  here 
for  money.  Dined  at  home — supper  at  Queen  Dowager's 
— tea  with  ]\Iadlle.  Bishoj)swerder — Prince  Nassau  arrived 
in  the  evening  late. 


Wednesday,  Jan.  1,  17.94. — Visits — King's  Levee — 
dined  with  Queen  Dowager — Prince  Nassau  came  home 
with  me — said  he  brought  a  long  letter  of  six  pages  from 
the  Empress  Catherine  to  the  King — he  had  seen  the 


1794.]  BERLIN.  37 

King  after  the  Levee — he  said  to  Nassau  nearly  what  he 
had  said  to  me  ;  was  to  see  hira  again — he  read  to  me 
what  he  said  was  the  precis  of  his  conversations  with  the 
Empress,  written  down  herself,  and  afterwards  copied  by 
him — begins  by  referring  to  "  the  treaties  concluded  be- 
tween Kussia  and  England,  and  Russia  and  Holland" — 
states  the   "  necessity   of  fullilling  his  engagements" — 
mentions   the    Convention  of   1793    "as   strcnutheninff 
these  engagements" — refers  to  the  Treaty  of  Alliance  and 
agreement  with  the    Emperor,    also   the   Convention    of 
January  1793,  and  dwells  on  "the  partition  of  Poland 
and  the  engagements  he  contracted  for  his  share — that 
all    these    oblige   him    to    continue  the  war;"  and  his 
own  declarations  and  manifestos   from  the  first,  by  his 
own  confession,  make  him  to  be  a  principal  in  it.     The 
Empress  then,  in  the  strongest  terms,  points  out  the  risks 
he  runs  of  the  French  principles  getting  into  his  country 
■ — -"  that  he  encourages  them  l)y  weakness — that  by  his 
listening  to  timid  councillors,  and  by  going  from  foibiesse 
a  foiblesse,  Louis  XVI.  first  lost  his  throne,  then  his  life — 
if  the  King  of  Prussia  fears  a  revolt,  liis  irresolution  and 
wavering  will  provoke,  not  prevent  it." 

Describes  the  qmissement  of  her  Treasury,  and  avoids 
touching  upon  pecuniary  succours — talks  of  her  impar- 
tiality, and  desirous  of  preserving  an  equal  power  be- 
tween Austria  and  Prussia.  Prince  of  Nassau  said  he  in- 
tended to  read  this  to  the  King  of  Prussia.  His  conver- 
sation very  right,  and  in  general  sensible.  lie  called 
himself  habitant  du  monde,  and  that  he  was  taxed  with 
being  Prussian  ;  that  he  was  of  no  country — said  Aloj)eus 
was  a  Prussian  agent ;  he  had  orders  not  to  trust  him — 
lamented  Lucchesini's  absence  as  a  man  of  sense  tres/in; 
but  added,  that  his  being  so,  or  not,  in  the  present  case 
was  of  no  consequence. 

I  approved  his  reading  this  paper  to  the  King,  and 
to  say,  if  an  opportunity  offered,  that  the  sum  required 
was  out  of  all  proportion  to  the  succours  ofie/ed  ;  lliat 
the  one  nmst  be  diminished,  or  the  other  very  much 
increased,  before  anything  could  be  agreed.  Talking  of 
the  army,  Nassau  said  he  was  sure  the  command  of  it 


38  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [l794. 

would  be  taken  from  the  Duke  of  Brunswick,  who  would 
retire  of  his  own  accord,  and  that  he  believed  Mollen- 
dorff  would  have  it.  Opera — supper  at  Prince  Louis — 
King  expressed  great  anxiety  that  I  should  go  on  with 
the  negotiation ;  said,  "  qu'il  ne  desiroit  rien  que  de 
retourner  a  rarmee.""  I  said  I  had  no  powers  to  con- 
clude, but  that  I  was  ready  to  suggest  such  ideas  as  I 
had,  and  thought  were  conformable  to  the  wishes  and 
means  of  my  Court,  and  to  listen  to  any  His  Majesty  had 
to  propose.  I  requested  him  to  name  with  whojn  he 
chose  I  should  talk  ;  he  hesitated  as  to  naming  anybody, 
but  went  on  by  urging  the  necessity  of  no  time  being 
lost — mentioned  the  Prince  of  Nassau — said  he  was  to 
see  him  again  the  next  day. 


Tuesday,  Jan.  2. — Walking  in  the  morning.  To  Reeden, 
learnt  nothing  from  him, — No  letters  from  England  ; 
now  three  weeks  without  any. — Dined  at  home. — At  5, 
Nassau.  He  said  he  had  read  that  paper  to  the  King 
(I  rather  doubted  it) — expressed  himself  satisfied  with 
what  had  passed  ;  asserted  that  he  was  quite  sure  of 
the  King's  good  disposition,  and  also  want  of  money. 
I  observed,  the  sum  was  too  great,  or  the  number  of  men 
to  be  given  too  small — Nassau  proposed  an  increase  of 
the  latter,  the  indemnity  to  be  paid  by  France.  I  ap- 
proved it,  desired  him  to  see  the  King  again.  Agreed 
to  it.  Lehrbach  came  in — stated  his  mission  to  Nassau — 
prolix  and  ardent.  Nassau  went  away.  I  then  opened 
myself  to  Lehrbach  on  the  different  means  suggested  to 
supply  the  King  of  Prussia  with  money  ;  aj)pointed 
him  next  morning. — Ball  and  supper  at  Alvensleben's. 


Friday,  Jan.  3. — Lehrbach,  and  then  Nassau,  mth 
me.  First  uneasy — approved  my  idea  of  taking  some 
step  which  miglit  prepare  the  way,  and  advance  the 
business — expected  his  messenger  from  Vienna  back. — 
Nassau  keen  and  sanguine  —  said  the  King  of  Prussia 


1794.]  BERLIN.  39 

was  eager  to  take  the  field — that  he  would  see  me  at 
half-past  ten  next  day — said  he  had  read  to  him  the 
paper  he  had  shewn  me,  that  it  had  great  effect  (talked 
rather  en  aventurier^). 

Walked  in  the  Park — dined  with  Rose — called  on 
Madame  Haugwiz — Dull  supper  at  Princess  Henri's,  Loto. 
— Lehrbach  came  home  with  me,  stayed  till  near  two  in 
the  morning.  His  messenger  returned — ordered  to  give  in 
a  note,  to  say  his  Court  referred  the  arrangement  to 
Russia  —  was  tedious  and  prolix  to  a  degree,  full  of 
suspicions  and  doubts  about  this  Court,  and  not  clear  on 
any  subject.  Just  after  he  went,  I  received  an  estafette 
from  Lord  Elgin,  to  inform  me  of  the  bad  news  of  Toulon 
being  retaken  by  the  French  on  the  18th  December. 

Saturday,  Jan.  4. — Up  early,  called  on  Lehrbach  and 
Nassau. — At  half-past  ten  to  the  King. 


extract  of  a  despatch  from  lord  malmesbury  to  lord 

grenville. 

Berlin,  5th  Jan.,  1794. 

The  necessity  of  pecuniary  relief  which  I  must  suppose 
to  exist  is,  indeed,  still  the  constant  theme  of  the  Prussian 
Ministers  ;  but  they  no  longer  seem  to  demand  it  (if  I 
may  be  forgiven  the  expression)  like  sturdy  beggars,  but 
to  be  disposed  to  put  their  demands  into  the  common 
course  of  negotiation. 

I  might  unfortunately  add,  that  the  unpleasant  events 
on  the  Rhine,  and  the  still  more  unpleasant  accounts 
from  Toulon,  struck  me  as  forcible  though  uncomfortable 
motives  for  pressing  forwards;  and  I  was  finally  deter- 
mined to  do  so,  from  the  repeated  anxiety  His  Prussian 
Majesty  has  expressed  to  me  almost  every  day,  that,  if  I 
had  not  authority  to  go  on,  I  would  at  least  take  some 
measures  to  prepare  the  way,  and  which  might  tend  to 
facilitate  future  discussions  when  they  were  to  take  place. 

On  the  1st  of  January  he  took  me  aside  before  supper, 
and  pressed  this  point  so  very  strongly  to  me,  that,  ini- 


40  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [1794. 

pressed  as  my  mind  was  with  tlie  consideration  I  have 
just  stated,  I  replied,  that  although  I  could  not  enter 
ministerially  into  the  subject,  yet,  if  His  Prussian  Majesty 
would  allow  me,  I  was  perfectly  ready  to  hear  everything 
he  might  be  disposed  to  say,  and  afterwards  to  submit  to 
his  consideration  such  ideas  as  appeared  to  me  the  most 
practicable,  and  the  most  conformable  to  the  means  and 
interests  of  the  parties  concerned.  That  I  would,  if  he 
desired  it,  confer  with  any  confidential  persons  he  might 
appoint ;  but  that  it  would  be  infinitely  more  satisfactory 
might  be  allowed  to  see  him.  In  consequence  of  this 
conversation  His  Prussian  Majesty  sent  for  me  to  come  to 
him  yesterday  at  half-past  ten,  and  my  motive  for  des- 
patching Slater  is  to  inform  your  Lordship  what  has 
passed  in  this,  and  in  another  interview  I  have  since  had 
with  him. 

The  King  of  Prussia  began  his  conversation  by  repeat- 
ing to  me  the  expediency  he  felt  to  continue  the  war,  his 
invariable  abhorrence  of  the  French  principles,  and  his 
thorough  conviction  that,  if  they  were  not  checked,  all 
government  and  all  order  would  be  overthrown  ;  and 
that  if  impressions  had  been  attempted  to  have  been 
made,  either  at  London  or  Vienna,  that  he  had  in  any 
degree  altered  his  sentiments  on  these  points,  it  was 
either  the  work  of  ill-disposed  or  bad-intentioned  people, 
or  the  consequence  of  his  principles  being  mis-stated 
or  mis-understood.  That  it  Avas  necessity,  and  necessity 
alone,  that  governed  his  conduct ;  and  that  if  he  was  not 
certain  that  another  campaign  would  completely  exhaust 
his  treasure,  and  leave  him  without  the  means  of  provid- 
ing for  any  future  extra  expense,  he  should  not  hesitate 
a  moment  as  to  the  line  of  conduct  he  should  observe. 
He  said,  he  trusted  I  would  give  him  full  credit  for  this, 
and  that  the  fidelity  of  my  reports  would  leave  no  doubt 
on  His  Majesty's  mind  of  the  sincerity  of  his  professions 
or  truth  of  his  assertions  ;  that  he  was  eager  and  anxious 
on  every  account  to  return  to  his  army,  which  (and  it 
was  for  this  reason  he  was  so  desirous  of  explaining  him- 
self to  me)  he  was  so  far  from  wishing  to  lessen  or  with- 
draw from  its  present  situation,  that  he  would  increase  it 


1794.]  BERLIN.  41 

to  the  amount  of  100,000  men,  if  it  were  possible  he 
could  be  supplied  with  the  means  of  supporting  them 
in  the  field. 

He  paused  here,  as  if  he  expected  I  should  say  some- 
thing relative  to   these  means.       I    told    His  Prussian 
Majesty,  and  I  believe  with  great  truth,  that  the  idea 
had  gone  forth  so  generally,  and  was  so  generally  believed, 
that  it  was  from  a  change  of  system,  and  not  from  any 
other  reason,  that  he  was  about  to  withdraw  himself  from 
the  number  of  the  Coalesced  Powers,  that  all  the  attention 
had  not  been  bestowed  on  the  diiferent  ways  of  raising 
those  means  that  would  have  been  done,  had  the  real 
reason  been  alleged  in  the  first  instance,  and  not  a  great 
deal  of  time  lost,  and  suspicions  raised,  by  unnecessary 
Memorials.    That  it  was  not  in  England  alone  this  appre- 
hension existed,  but  also  at  Vienna;  and  His  Majesty  had 
a  very  recent  and  convincing  proof  from  all  he  had  heard 
from  the  Prince  of  Nassau  in  a  still  stronger  degree  at 
St.  Petersburgh.     That,  when  what  His  Majesty  now  said 
was  known,  there  could  be  no  doubt  that  these  false  and 
unfortunate  impressions  would  be  done  away,  and  every 
possible  attention  paid  to  what  he  said.     That  if,  in  the 
meanwhile,  he  would  condescend  to  explain  himself,  and 
state  to  me  something  like  a  plan  on  which  so  responsible 
an   army   as   that   of  100,000  men  might  be  formed,  I 
should  hold  it  my  duty  to  transmit  what  he  said  to  my 
Court  in  any  way  he  might  direct,  either  as  a  confiden- 
tial or  as  a  ministerial    communication.     That    I    only 
wished  it  to  be  understood  by  His  JMajesty  that  I  had  no 
authority  to  proceed,  much  less  power  to  conclude ;  that 
my  positive  orders  were  to  wait  till  the  return  of  the 
messenger  I  despatched  on  the  26  th  ult. ;  and  that  he 
would  be  pleased  to  consider  what  I  had  ventured  to  say, 
and  my  undertaking  to  repeat  what  I  heard,  as  an  effect 
of  the  high  confidence  I  reposed  in  him,  and  of  my  per- 
haps too  forward  zeal  to  determine  an  object  the  import- 
ance of  which  was  so  strongly  felt.       I  repeatedly  urged 
this  at  different  moments  of  the  conversation,  and  it  was 
distinctly  admitted  by  the  King  of  Prussia.    If,  therefore, 
it  should  be  thought  that  I  have  observed  an  improper 


42  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [l794. 

conduct,  I  have  at  least  carefully  avoided  committing  my 
Court:  I  have  spoken  all  along  as/rom  myself ;  and  every- 
thing which  I  have  said  or  done  may  be  disavowed  with- 
out  the  possibility  of  an  accusation  of  inconsistency  or 
retracting  being  fixed  on  the  declarations  and  measures 
adopted  by  His  Majesty  on  this  occasion  towards  this  Court. 
Having  stated  this  circumstance  as  clearly,  I  hope,  to 
your  Lordship  as  I  did  to  His  Prussian  Majesty,  I  shall 
now  proceed  to  relate  wliat  he  went  on  by  saying,  which 
he  desired  might  be  considered  as  a  confidential  commu- 
nication to  serve  as  the  basis  of  a  future  arrangement. 
His  Prussian  Majesty  declared  he  was  ready  to  bring  into 
the  field  the  number  of  men  stipulated  by  his  treaty  of 
alliance  with  the  Emperor,  and  his  contingent  to  the  Em- 
pire ;  tliis  he  said  would  amount  to  about  28,000  men 
(for  he  rated  his  contingent  at  only  7,500)  :  and  that  he 
would  by  the  opening  of  the  campaign  increase  his  army  to 
100,000  men,  if  the  Coalesced  Powers  could  supply  him 
with  the  means  of  defraying  the  expenses  of  this  addi- 
tional number.     He  thought  this  might  be  done  by  each 
of  them  taking  a  quota  part  of  the  whole  expense,  and 
that  the  money  might  be  raised  by  a  loan,  for  the  secu- 
rity of  which,   part  or  the  whole  of  France  should  be 
engaged  :  that  he  had  understood  also  that  the  idea  of 
creating  a  paper  currency  had  been  suggested,   (I  found 
this  had  been  intimated  to  him  by  the  Dutch  ]\Iinister 
here,)  and  that,  though  he  was  by  no  means  experienced 
in  finance,  he  thought  this  might  greatly  facilitate  the 
operation ;  but  as  he  had  not  the  remotest  view  of  enrich- 
ing himself,  but  only  to  prevent  his  being  involved  in 
complete  ruin,  he  was  ready  that  the  expense  requisite 
for  the  maintaining  this  corps  (72,000  men),  with  their 
necessary  dependences  in  the  field,  should  be  regulated 
by  two  commissaries,  the  one  on  his  part,  the  other  on 
that  of  the  Coalesced  Powers. 

That  at  the  head  of  tliis  army  he  would  begin  tlie  cam- 
paign, by  acting  in  such  a  manner  as  he  trusted  would 
leave  no  doubt  of  his  sentiments  on  the  present  war,  or  of 
his  invariable  wish  to  fulfil  his  engagement  to  the  utmost 
of  his  power. 


1794.]  BERLIN.  43 

Sunday,  Jan.  5. — Writing.  Haugwiz  at  twelve  :  his 
manner  gentle  and  pleasant,  but  not  easy.  Dwelt  on 
total  emptiness  of  the  treasury — said  the  King  could 
contribute  nothing  —  Empire  should  contribute.  With 
Nassau  :  he  shewed  me  his  intended  report,  good  and 
correctly  stated.  Dined  at  Marshal  Mollendortf's  ;  long 
but  good :  he  very  right  and  satisfactory.  Supped  at 
Queen's. 


Monday,  Jan.  6. — Writing.  Despatched  Slater  at  one. 
Baron  Leuthe,  Hanoverian  Minister  ;  talked  with  him 
about  the  means  of  the  Empire ;  alarmed  lest  an  exchange 
should  take  place,  and  Mecklenburgh  Schwerin  be  given 
to  the  King  of  Prussia  in  lieu  of  the  Margraviates.  Short 
walk  ;  dinner  at  Nesselrode  ;  wrote  to  Whitworth  by 
Nassau's  messenger.  Opera  ;  supped  with  the  King  ;  he 
very  anxious  still  to  go  to  the  army — talked  to  me  of 
nothing  else. 


Tuesday,  Jan.  7. — Walked — dined  with  Queen — supped 
at  Arnhim's  ;  sat  next  the  Princess  Louisa,  pleasant,  ami- 
able, and  well  educated,  Ridotto — quadrille — Reeden  as 
Godfrey  of  Bouillon — ridiculous  ! 


Wednesday,  Jan.  8. — Writing  all  day.  Dined  t^te-a- 
t^te  with  Darnley.  Lehrbach,  late  in  the  evening,  brought 
me  the  answer  to  his  note.  King  of  Prussia  refuses  the 
mediation  of  Russia  —  insists  on  having  his  army  sup- 
plied, or  threatens  to  withdraw  it  by  1st  of  February. 
Lehrbach  angry — states  a  mistake  in  the  answer — is 
to  get  it  altered. 


Thursday,  Jan.  9. — Writing  in  the  morning.  Darnley 
went  away  at  two.  Dined  with  Prince  Sacken — great 
dinner.  Supped  with  Queen  Dow'.  Played  with  Prin- 
cesses Louisa  and  Augusta.     Got  into  my  new  house. 


44  DIARIES   AND  CORRESPONDENCE.  [1794. 

LETTER    FROM    LORD    MALMESBURY    TO    LORD    GRENVILLE. 

Berlin,  Thurs^day,  9th  January,  1794. 

My  dear  Lord, — The  inside  of  this  Court  is  really  a 
subject  fit  only  for  a  private  letter  :  unfortunately  it  is 
so  closely  connected  with  its  public  conduct,  and  influ- 
ences it  so  much,  that  I  wish  to  give  you  every  informa- 
tion relative  to  it  in  my  power,  I  have  been  here  so 
short  a  time,  and  so  constantly  employed,  that  my  account 
will  be  naturally  very  imperfect ;  but  Lord  Darnley,  who 
has  had  more  leisure  and  opportunity  than  myself  to  in- 
vestigate it,  will  supply  the  defect. 

The  female  in  actual  possession  of  favour  is  of  no  higher 
degree  than  a  servant-maid,  She  is  known  by  the  name 
of  Mickie,  or  Mary  Doz  ;  and  her  principal  merit  is  youth 
and  a  warm  constitution.  She  has  acquired  a  certain 
degree  of  ascendency,  and  is  supported  by  some  of  the 
most  inferior  class  of  favourites  ;  but,  as  she  is  considered 
as  holding  her  office  only  during  pleasure,  she  is  not 
courted,  though  far  from  neglected,  by  the  persons  of 
a  higher  rank. 

The  two  candidates  for  a  more  substantial  degree  of 
favour  are  Madlle.  Vienk  and  Aladlle,  Bethman.  The 
first  (I  really  believe,  extremely  against  her  will  and  her 
principles)  is  forced  forward  by  a  party  who  want  to 
acquire  consequence  ;  and  I  am  told  she  has  the  good 
wishes  of  Lucchesini,  who  thinks  he  shall  be  able  to  lead 
her,  Madlle,  Bethman  plays  a  deeper  game  :  she  acts 
from,  and  for,  herself  ;  she  professes  to  love  the  King,  but 
that  her  principles  prevent  her  giving  way  to  it ;  she 
is  all  sentiment  and  passion  ;  her  aim  is  to  be  what 
his  first  mistress  was,  and  to  turn  to  her  account  all 
the  licentious  latitude  it  is  said  the  lllumint's  allow  them- 
selves, Madlle,  Bethman  is  cousin  to  the  wealthy  banker 
of  that  name  at  Frankfort,  and,  from  what  I  have  learnt 
there,  is  perfectly  qualified  to  act  the  part  she  has  under- 
taken. The  King  of  Prussia  inclines  to  believe  all  she 
says,  and  calls  her  "  mie  jille  bonne  et  precise." 

Jjucchesini  is  still  certainly  a  ver}''  governing  man  here. 
Why  he  went  to   Vienna  on  a  commission  which    re- 


1794.]  BERLIN.  45 

quired  no  superior  talents,  or  was  likely  to  produce  any 
great  applause,  and  why  lie  stays  on  there,  I  cannot  learn  ; 
unless,  we  are  to  suppose  him  acting  in  complaisance 
to  his  wife,  who  is  at  daggers  drawn  with  her  sister, 
Madame  Bishops werder,  and  who  I  am  told  dislikes 
Berlin, 

Bishopswerder  is  undoubtedly  restored  to  great  per- 
sonal favour,  but  hitherto  is  neither  consulted  nor  trusted 
in  an}^  matter  of  business,  foreign  or  domestic.  He  is 
now  living  at  Potsdam.  The  King  of  Prussia  visited 
him  there  on  Monday,  and  writes  to  him,  as  I  hear, 
every  day. 

Manstein  is  his  great  opponent,  and  very  unlike  him  in 
character  :  he  is  rough,  active,  and  interested.  He  has  no 
system  of  his  own ;  depends  on  Lucchesini,  and  pays  the 
most  assiduous  court  to  Haugwiz,  who  is  the  only  person 
amongst  the  Ministers  of  State  at  all  in  possession  of  the 
King's  favour  or  confidence.  Haugwiz  has  gentle  and 
pleasing  manners ;  without  knowledge  and  experience, 
but  with  capacity  sufficient  to  understand  an  unpleasant 
commission,  and  temper  enough  to  acquit  himself  of  it 
with  great  moderation.  He  is  supposed  also  to  be  an 
illumine,  and  it  was  as  such  he  was  first  noticed  by 
the  King. 

Count  Finck  and  Alvensleben,  the  other  two  Ministers 
for  the  Foreign  Department,  are  perfectly  insignificant. 
Finck  is  respected  for  his  age  ;  Alvensleben  is  the  fine 
gentleman  of  Berlin,  and  takes  the  lead  in  all  the  balls 
and  suppers.  Among  the  other  Ministers  of  State  none 
are  worth  mentioning  but  Struenzee,  who  is  said  to  be 
an  able  financier,  although  no  proof  of  his  ability  in  this 
branch  is  to  be  found. 

The  first  man,  undoubtedly,  here  in  every  respect  is 
the  Marshal  Mollendorf ;  he  possesses  character  and  in- 
tegrity. He  thinks  and  reasons  most  judiciously  on  the 
part  this  country  ought  to  take.  It  is  of  the  last  conse- 
quence that  he  should  command  the  army,  if  the  Prussian 
army  is  to  act. 

In  regard  to  the  Foreign  Ministers,  either  by  forming 
connexions  here,  or  from  a  deficiency  of  understanding, 


46  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [1794. 

they  are  all  much  more  like  agents  of  this  Court,  than 
like  men  of  rank  sent  to  attend  to  the  interests  of  their 
own.  Prince  Reuss  from  Vienna,  Count  Zinzendorf  from 
Saxony,  Mons.  Alopeus  from  Russia,  and,  above  all.  Baron 
Reeden  from  Holland,  come  so  entirely  under  this  de- 
scription, that  it  is  impossible  to  derive  any  other  ad- 
vantage from  a  connexion  with  them,  except  to  learn 
what  the  Prussian  Ministers  wish  you  to  do. 

I  am  at  a  loss  what  to  say  of  the  Prince  de  Nassau.  I 
am  well  aware  of  the  French  proverb,  that  says,  "  Nothing 
is  so  like  an  honest  man  as  a  clever  rogue,"  but  I  really 
do  not  know  whether  it  might  be  applied  to  him.  I  have 
as  yet  discovered  no  deceit  or  duplicity  in  his  conduct, 
and  his  vanity  and  indiscretion  have  rather  given  me  an 
advantage  over  him  in  our  conversations.  He  is  uncom- 
monly well  received  by  the  King,  who  likes  his  manners, 
which  are  very  pleasant. 

I  am  exceedingly  well  satisfied  with  Count  Lehrbach : 
he  is  open,  confiding,  and  active  ;  his  only  fault  is  the 
betraying  too  strongly  his  feelings  at  the  manner  in 
which  this  Court  does  business,  and  his  suspicions  of  its 
insincerity.  The  answer  he  has  just  received  to  his  last 
note,  though  it  is  drawn  up  in  the  usual  style  of  their 
official  papers  here,  yet  does  not  make  any  material  dif- 
ference as  to  the  main  object;  and  I  think  the  King  of 
Prussia,  having  declined  the  mediation  of  the  Empress  of 
Russia,  may  by  displeasing  her  produce  rather  a  good 
effect.  This  measure  I  believe  to  have  been  advised  by 
Lucchesini  from  Vienna,  since,  when  I  first  mentioned 
it  to  tlie  King  of  Prussia  (on  Saturday  morning),  lie 
seemed  rather  pleased  with  it.  I  am,  &c. 

Malmesbury. 


Friday,  Jan.  10. — LehrlDach  w^ith  me  early — consulted 
what  he  was  to  say  at  this  appointed  conference — Nassau 
eager  and  sanguine — Reeden  more  communicative  in  con- 
sequence of  a  letter  from  the  Pensionary — offers  to  act  in 
concert.  Lehrl)ach  again  ;  relates  before  Reeden  the  re- 
sult of  liis  conference — Alopeus  (Russian  Minister)  at  it 


1794.]  BERLIN.  47 

—  I  recommend  that  Lelirbacli,  Eeeclen,  and  myself 
should  act  in  concert.  To  the  Opera — conversation  with 
Haugwiz — mentioned  to  him  all  my  letters  from  England 
having  been  stopped.  To  Count  Reuss,  thence  to  the 
King's  supper,  and  then  returned  with  Madlle.  Bishops- 
werder  to  Reuss's — she  in  the  carriage  told  me  her 
father  was  coming  here — that  he  believed  for  both  our 
sakes,  and  that  of  the  cause,  it  was  better  I  should 
not  appear  to  be  much  with  him — that  he  had  as  yet 
acquired  no  political  favour,  although  it  perhaps  might 
come. 


Saturday,  Jax.  11. — Writing — short  walk — pleasant 
dinner  at  Prince  Reuss's — assembly  at  Marshal  Mollen- 
dorff  crowded — King  and  Royal  Family  all  there — supper 
tedious  and  long. 


Sunday,  Jax.  12. — Wrote  to  Vienna — King's  levee — 
MoUendorfT  appointed  to  the  command  of  the  army  in 
room  of  Duke  of  Brunswick — Court  and  supper  at  the 
Queen's. 

Monday,  Jan.  13. — Nassau  with  me  early — reasoned 
on  MoUendorff's  going — Thiel  and  the  Minister  Schu- 
lenberg  to  go  with  him.  Walked — dined  with  Reeden — 
Opera — supped  with  the  King — he  still  anxious  for  news 
from  England. 


Tuesday,  Jan.  14. — Wrote — called  on  Rose,  Madame 
Reuss.  Supper  at  Arnim's  with  two  Princesses  —  sat 
next  Princess  Louisa  at  supper — very  pleasant  and  ac- 
complished— Ridotto. 


Wednesday,  Jan.  1.5. — Walked  to  several  gardeners, 
and  afterwards  dined  with  Prince  Nassau- — ball  and 
supper  at  the  King's. 


48  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [1794. 

Thursday,  Jan.  16. — Alopeus — visited  Madame  Schu- 
leuberg — Queen  Dowager  at  supper — played  with  the 
Princess  Royal  —  afterwards  Alvensleben's  —  singing  — 
small  party. 


Friday,  Jan.  17. — Conference  with  Marshal  Mollendorff 
— his  ideas  right,  and  intentions  excellent — his  plan  of 
campaign,  to  leave  the  Prussians  the  defence  of  the  Rhine, 
and  to  increase  the  Austrian  army  in  Flanders — the 
Prussians  to  attack  by  Lorraine,  the  Austrians  by  Pi- 
cardy — said  two  or  three  millions  might  be  advanced 
from  home.  Dined  with  Count  Finckenstein — Opera — 
supper  at  Reeden's. 


Saturday,  Jan.   18. — Walked  —  dined  at  Arnim's — • 
assembly  at  the  ]\Iinister  Haugwiz. 


Sunday,  Jan.  19. — King's  levee — walked  with  Haug- 
wiz in  the  Park — he  suspicious  lest  we  should  make  a 
separate  peace— afraid  of  the  openiDg  of  Parliament ;  in 
other  respects  right  and  well-spoken.  Dined  at  home — 
supped  at  the  Queen's. 


Monday,  Jan.  20. — AYrote — walked.     Dined  at  home  ; 
Lehrbach  dined  with  me.     Opera. 


Tuesday,  Jan.  21. — Wrote — dined  at  Queen's— supper 
at  Arnim's  ;  ridotto. 


Wednesday,  Jan.  22.  —  Walked  to  Charlottenberg. 
Dined  at  Nesselrode's.  Visited  Madame  Schulenberg. 
Conversation  with  him  — same  language  as  the  other 
Minister ;  he  more  clever  —  Supper  and  ball  at  the 
King's. 


1794.]  BERLIN.  49 

Thursday,  Jan.  23. — With  Madlle.  E.  Bishopswerder ; 
said  that  her  father's  enemies  (Manstein  and  Haugwiz) 
had  contrived  to  interrupt  her  sister's  match  with  Ga- 
venski,  a  Pole — thought  her  father's  influence  was  nearly 
over  —  said  Madame  Dienhofi'  was  at  Augermunde. 
Walked  with  her — advised  to  observe  and  take  care  of 
Reeden,  the  Dutch  Minister "" — to  find  out  if  there  was  no 
French  intrigue  going  on,  &c. — Dined  with  Count  Reuss 
— fiftj-one  persons.  Concert  at  Countess  Maurice  Bruhl. 
Supper  at  the  Queen's. 


SuxDAY,  Jan.  26. — King's  levee.    Dined  at  home.    Sup- 
per at  Queen  Dowager's. 


Tuesday,  Jan.  28. — Dined  at  Queen's,  on  Marianne 
Bishopswerder's  marriage  with  Count  Gavenski,  a  Pole. 
Supper  at  Armin's.     Ridotto — the  last. 


Wednesday,  Jan.  29. — Dinner  at  Nesselrode's.    Ball  at 
Court — the  last— danced. 


Friday,  Jan.   31. — Dinner  at  Minister  Struensee's — 
Chevalier  Bouffleurs  there. 


Saturday,   Feb.    1. — Dinner  at   Zinzendorff's.     First 
assembly  at  Count  Finckenstein's. 

*  Reeden  was  decidedly  French  by  inclination  and  interest,  and  jealous 
of  Kinckel,  the  Pensionary,  and  others  of  his  countrymen  more  distinguished 
by  the  Stadtholder  than  himself. — Harris  Papers. 

VOL.  III.  E 


50  DIARIES   AND    CORRESPONDENCE.  [1794. 


EXTRACT    OF    A    DESPATCH    FROM    LORD    MALMESBURY    TO    LORD 

GRENVILLE. 

Berlin,  1st  Feb.,  1794. 

I  AM  sorry  to  say  tliat  suspicion  and  mistrust  increase 
every  day  between  this  Court  and  that  of  Vienna.  It  is 
as  difficult  as  it  is  useless  to  decide  where  the  blame  lies. 
M.  Lucchesini  has  undoubtedly  behaved  with  the  most 
unjustifiable  petulance,  and  the  peevish  method  the 
Prussian  Cabinet  has  of  doing  business  has  worked  very 
sensibly  on  the  frank  but  irritable  temper  of  Count 
Lehrbach,  and  possibly  contril)uted  to  sour  his  reports. 
My  only  wish  is,  to  keep  everything  even  until  some 
decisive  measure  is  agreed  upon  ;  this  once  determined, 
it  will  be  very  easily  discovered  from  the  conduct  of  this 
Court  whether  it  is  playing  false  or  not ;  and  if  it  is,  it 
requires  no  instructions  either  to  Count  Lehrbach  or  me, 
to  know  what  we  ought  to  do.  In  the  meantime,  although 
it  would  be  highly  censurable  to  act  on  a  principle  of 
implicit  confidence,  yet  the  manifesting  a  direct  contrary 
opinion  prematurely,  prepares  us  for  a  negotiation,  every 
step  of  which  will  be  marked  by  cavil,  mistrust,  and  ill- 
humour. 

Your  Lordship  will  undoubtedly  have  heard  from  dif- 
ferent quarters  that  this  Court  has  agents  at  work  to 
negotiate  either  a  truce  or  separate  peace  with  the  Con- 
vention.'^ This  idea  has,  I  have  reason  to  believe,  found 
a  place  in  the  correspondence  of  most  of  the  Foreign 
Ministers  here,  and  certainly  would  not  have  been  omitted 
in  mine  could  I  have  grounded  it  on  any  positive  data. 
It  rests  principally  on  the  departure  of  a  person  of  the 
name  of  Settan  (formerly  with  Count  Goltz  at  Paris),  who 
left  Berlin  a  fortnight  ago,  and  who  it  is  supposed  is  gone 
either  to  Geneva  or  Deux  Points  (it  is  doubtful  which)  to 
meet  an  agent  from  the  Convention  ;  and  it  is  added  that 
he  received  his  instructions  from  Baron  Alvensleben,  and 
set  out  from  the  house  of  this  Minister  in  the  night.     I 

*  The  National  Convention  at  Paris. 


1794.]  BERLIN.  51 

cannot  even  ascertain  the  matter-of-fact  part  of  this 
report;  and  if  it  could  be  done,  unless  we  were  sure  of  the 
rest,  it  would  only  lead  to  a  conjectural  conclusion  which 
would  be  in  such  direct  contradiction  to  the  positive 
assurances  I  hear  daily  from  the  King  of  Prussia,  that 
although  I  am  very  far  from  being  credulously  confident, 
and  disposed  to  make  great  allowances  for  instability  of 
character,  yet  I  confess  I  should  think  I  acted  unfairly, 
if  on  such  loose  ground  I  suffered  my  mind  to  suspect 
a  duplicity  of  conduct  so  very  disgraceful  when  coming 
from  so  high  a  quarter. 


Sunday,  Feb.  2. — Court. 


Monday,  Feb.  3.— Breakfast  at  Fredericksfeldt  with 
Meden.  Went  with  Count  Reuss— dined  with  me  at 
home,  and  Prince  Reuss.  Supper  at  Prince  Henry's — 
played  with  Princess  Royal. 


Tuesday,  Feb.  4.— At  home— supper  for  the   wedding 
-afterwards  at  Madame  Gavenska. 


Wednesday,  Feb.  5. — Called  on  Madame  Reuss  and 
Madame  Gavenska.  Walked.  Dined  at  home.  Supped 
with  Queen  Dowager.  Went  with  Landgrave  George  of 
Darmstadt  into  her  apartment — she  and  Queen  very  much 
pleased  with  King's  speech.  Timms  (messenger)  arrived 
with  full  powers  for  me.'" 


Thuesday,  Feb.  6.— Called  on  Lehrbach  and  Reeden. 

*  The  despatch  here  alluded  to  contains  Lord  Grenville's  scheme.  It 
was  that  2,000,000/.  should  be  given  to  the  King  of  Prussia  to  bring 
100,000  men  into  the  field.  Tliat  England  should  furnish  two-fifths,  or 
800,000/.,  Austria  one-fifth,  the  Republic  of  Holland  one-fifth,  and  the 
other  fifth  should  remain  as  an  advance  from  Prussia,  to  be  reimbursed  by 
France  at  the  restoration  of  peace.  Lord  Grenville  suggests  an  invitation  to 
Russia  to  join  in  the  subsidy. 

E   2 


52  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [l794. 

Went  into  tlie  park  to  meet  the  King.  Walked  with  him 
and  Haugwiz.  Dined  at  Nassau's.  Supped  at  Bellevue — 
went  with  the  Reuss's. 


Friday,  Feb.  7. — With  the  King — Lehrbach  had  a 
Ministerial  conference.  Dined  with  Nassau — he  said  he 
would  go  to  Vienna.  Ball  at  Finckenstein — Nassau  and 
Lehrbach  there — very  hot. 


Saturday,  Feb.  S.— Death  of  Kivilicl-i.^  To  Prince 
Reuss.  Assembly  at  Amiens.  King  eager  for  Nassau's 
going  to  Vienna — presses  the  business. 


EXTRACT  OF  A  LETTER  FROM  LORD  MALMESBURY  TO  SIR 

MORTON  EDEN.f 

Berlin,  Stli  Feb.  1704. 

We  are  engaged,  my  dear  Sir  Morton,  in  one  of  the 
most  material  negotiations  that  ever  existed,  and  on  our 
success  depends  the  fate  of  Europe.  I  am  happy  in 
having  you  for  my  fellow-labourer.  Our  situations,  how- 
ever, differ  materially — you  are  at  a  Court,  all  sincerity, 
confidence,  and  system.  I  need  not  say  how  different 
our  position  is,  but  it  is  of  the  utmost  importance  for  me 
to  conceal  all  I  feel  and  mistrust ;  to  betray  my  suspicions 
would  destroy  every  means  I  have  here  of  getting  on.  I 
consider  all  we  are  now  about,  as  leading  ultimately  to 
that  wise  and  natural  union  between  England  and  Aus- 
tria, which  lasted  for  their  mutual  advantage  and  benefit 
for  so  many  years.  But  to  attain  this,  we  must  get  suc- 
cessfully through  this  war  ;  and  to  ensure  success,  we 
must  employ  every  means  in  our  power,  as  well  of  exer- 
tion within  ourselves,  as  to  induce  others  to  act  Avith  us 
efficaciously  and  vigorously.  This  principle  is  the  clue  of 
all  we  are  about  here. 

*  Kivilicki  was  Polish  Minister  at  Berlin — and  tlie  last. 
f  English  Minister  at  Viciiim. 


1794.]  BERLIN.  53 

Sunday,  Feb.  9. — Haugwiz.  Dinner  at  Nesselrode's. 
Wrote  to  Vienna  by  Meckel.  Conference — refuse  note 
verbale.     Supper  at  tlie  Queen's. 


DESPATCH    FROM    LORD    MALMESBURY    TO    LORD    GRENVILLE. 

Berlin,  Sunday,  Feb.  16th,  1794. 

My  Lord, — I  am  now  to  give  your  Lordship  an  account 
of  the  manner  in  which  I  have  obeyed  the  instructions 
contained  in  your  despatch  of  the  28th  of  January,  de- 
livered to  me  by  Timms  late  on  Wednesday  the  5th  inst. 

If  I  have  deferred  sending  this  account  longer  than 
perhaps  was  expected  by  your  Lordship,  it  has  arisen 
from  my  feeling  the  extreme  importance  of  coming  to  a 
clear  and  explicit  understanding  here  on  the  several 
points  I  had  it  in  command  to  discuss,  and  of  not  re-des- 
patching a  messenger  till  I  had  it  in  my  power  to  state  to 
your  Lordship  so  distinctly  the  result  of  what  I  had 
done,  that  it  might  lead,  if  possible,  at  once  to  a  decision, 
and  not  bring  on  fresh  and  doubtful  deliberations,  which 
from  the  time  they  must  consume  would  defeat  the  end 
Avhich  the  measure  itself  was  intended  to  produce. 

I  am  well  aware  that  I  have  not  done  this  in  so  com- 
plete a  manner  as  may  be  wished,  but  I  trust  some  allow- 
ances will  be  made,  as  well  for  the  complicated  nature  of 
the  subject  itself,  as  for  the  particular  character  of  the 
Court  at  which  I  am  employed. 

My  first  object,  after  I  had  made  myself  master  of  the 
spirit  of  your  Lordship's  very  able  despatch,  was  to  see 
the  King  of  Prussia.  I  found  him  walking  in  the  park 
near  this  town  on  Thursday  morning  (the  day  after 
Timms'  arrival).  The  publicity  of  the  place,  and  the  num- 
ber of  persons  round  us,  made  it  impossible  to  enter  mi- 
nutely into  the  business ;  but  he  appeared  well  pleased 
with  the  hasty  communication  I  made  him  of  the  outlines 
of  my  instructions.  He  appointed  me  to  come  to  him 
the  next  morning,  and  desired  me  in  the  meanwhile  to 
see  Count  Haugwiz — this  I  had  an  immediate  opportunity 
of  doing,  as  he  was  also  walking.     The  King  of  Prussia 


54  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [l794. 

joined  us  in  a  more  retired  part  of  the  park,  and  on  my 
then,  at  his  request,  explaining  myself  more  fully,  he,  in 
the  presence  of  his  confidential  Minister,  expressed  such 
an  eagerness  for  the  business  to  go  on,  that  I  began  to 
hope  I  should  find  fewer  difficulties  in  the  course  of  my 
negotiation  than  I  had  reason  to  expect. 

In  this  first  conference  with  Count  Haugwiz,  I  confined 
myself  to  the  general  purport  of  my  instructions,  without 
entering  into  details,  or  coming  to  any  specific  proposi- 
tion. I  contented  myself  with  stating  succinctly  to  him 
His  Majesty's  favourable  disposition  to  assist  the  King  of 
Prussia,  jointly  with  the  other  coalesced  Powers,  with 
pecuniary  support,  provided  that  for  such  assistance  a 
Prussian  army,  to  the  amount  which  had  been  named, 
should  be  brought  into  the  field ;  and  I,  on  this,  (as  I 
have  done  on  every  preceding  occasion,)  expressed  His 
Majesty's  invariable  expectation  that  the  stipulations  of 
this  Treaty  of  Alliance  with  His  Prussian  Majesty  should 
be  acknowledged,  and  if  possible  complied  with.  I  found 
Count  Haugwiz  disposed  to  listen  to  everything  I  said 
with  attention  ;  he  expressed  much  satisfaction  at  the 
cordial  and  liberal  manner  in  which  His  Majesty  had  en- 
tered into  the  situation  of  this  Court,  and  seemed  inclined 
(as  indeed  I  have  since  found  him  to  be)  to  facilitate,  as 
far  as  lay  in  his  power,  the  success  of  the  measure  with 
which  I  was  charged.  He  expressed,  however,  a  wish, 
that  in  the  first  instance  I  should  open  myself  to  his 
colleagues  in  a  conference  according  to  the  usual  forms, 
but  undertook  afterwards  to  obtain  from  the  King  his 
master,  orders  for  going  through  the  rest  of  the  business 
with  me  himself. 

I  was  with  His  Prussian  Majesty  on  Friday  morning, 
the  7th  instant,  at  ten  o'clock.  His  Prussian  Majesty,  be- 
fore he  gave  me  an  opportunity  to  speak,  sliewed  so  much 
eagerness  to  act,  lamented  so  feelingly  the  inability  of 
the  finances,  and  expressed  such  satisfaction  at  what  I 
had  told  him  of  His  ]\Iajesty's  sentiments  and  intentions 
the  day  before,  that  I  felt  I  should  only  incur  all  the  in- 
conveniences belonging  to  an  appearance  of  art  and  cun- 
ning, and  drive  His  Prussian  Majesty  back  again  into  a 


1794.]  BERLIN.  55 

system  of  reserve  and  suspicion,  if  I  did  not  speak  out 
fairly.  I  said,  therefore,  at  once  to  His  Prussian  Majesty, 
that  if  he  would  be  pleased  to  declare  to  me,  without  re- 
serve, the  amount  of  the  army  he  would  undertake  to  have 
on  the  Rhine,  and  the  lowest  calculation  of  the  means  ne- 
cessary for  providing  for  such  an  army,  I  would  on  my  side 
with  freedom  and  openness  tell  His  Majesty  how  far  it 
was  within  the  bounds  of  my  instructions  to  meet  his 
idea,  and  come  up  to  his  demands. 

The  King  of  Prussia  without  any  hesitation  replied, 
that  it  was  his  wish  to  bring  100,000  men  into  the  field, 
comprising  in  this  number  6000  Saxons,  and  2000  or 
3000  troops  of  the  Palatinate  ;  that,  as  this  subject  had 
employed  his  mind  constantly  since  the  departure  of  my 
second  messenger  (Slater),  he  had  given  orders  to  his  war 
department  to  make  out  the  most  exact  account,  what 
such  an  army,  with  every  contingent  expense  attendant 
on  a  campaign  which  was  not  to  be  a  defensive,  but  an 
offensive  one,  and  carried  on  at  a  great  distance  from  his 
frontiers,  would  cost ;  that  he  had  particularly  ordered  it 
should  not  be  exaggerated  ;  that  he  would  direct  this 
account  to  be  laid  before  me,  and  that  I  was  at  liberty 
to  compare  it  with  any  other  I  could  obtain,  or  to  make 
any  inquiries  or  animadversion  on  it  I  pleased,  as  it  was 
his  sincere  and  honest  wish,  that  it  should  be  as  true  and 
as  accurate  as  possible, 

I  replied  that  on  the  amount  of  this  sum  the  whole 
depended,  since,  if  it  was  wide  of  that  His  jMajesty  con- 
ceived to  be  within  the  possibility  of  the  united  Powers 
to  grant,  the  negotiation  must  at  once  fall  to  the  gTound. 
His  Prussian  Majesty,  with  great  warmth,  said,  he  trusted 
this  would  not  be  the  case  ;  and  taking  out  a  pocket-book, 
said,  from  a  paper  in  his  hand,  that  the  lowest  expense 
of  such  an  army  as  we  proposed  to  assemble,  acting  in 
the  way  and  in  the  country  where  it  was  to  act,  would 
amount  to  twenty  millions  of  dollars,  without  reckoning 
the  bread  and  forage. 

I  replied,  that  this  sum  was  so  much  beyond  what  my 
powers  authorised  me  to  comply  with,  that  it  was  almost 
useless  to  mention  them.     "  Remember,"  says  the  King  of 


56  DIARIES   AND    CORRESPONDENCE.  [1794. 

Prussia,  "  that  I  am  ready  to  go  to  the  whole  extent  of 
my  resources ;  explain  to  me  yours.  Let  us  act  up  to  the 
magnitude  of  the  cause  we  are  defending,  and  not,  when 
we  both  wish  and  intend  the  same  end,  be  afraid  who 
shall  first  commit  himself  by  proposing  the  means." 

I  assured  His  Prussian  Majesty  no  such  apprehension 
could  exist  in  my  mind,  when  I  had  the  advantage  of 
speaking  to  him,  and  that  I  would  give  him  an  imme- 
diate proof  of  it  by  obeying  his  orders. 

I  then,  my  Lord,  (I  trust  I  shall  not  be  considered  as 
having  acted  either  injudiciously  or  inconsiderately,) 
stated  to  His  Prussian  Majesty  the  particulars  of  my  in- 
structions. I  mentioned  the  two  millions  sterling,  as  the 
first  and  last  sum  I  had  to  propose  ;  and  as  this  was  to 
be  raised  by  difierent  quotas,  paid  by  other  Powers,  I  ob- 
served it  was  necessary  before  any  final  arrangement 
could  take  place,  to  have  the  concurrence  of  the  Emperor, 
and  of  Holland.  I  confined  myself  simply  to  the  sum  of 
two  millions  offered  and  to  the  100,000  men  required  in 
return.  To  agree  on  these  two  leading  points  seemed  to 
me  to  be  the  great  object  I  had  to  obtain  from  the  King 
of  Prussia  himself ;  and  that  these  once  settled  with  him, 
the  detail  part  of  the  business  would  go  on  much  more 
smoothly  with  his  j\Iinistcrs. 

His  Prussian  Majesty,  after  a  pause,  said  ;  Short  as  the 
sum  was  of  the  expenses  he  must  incur,  he  would  agree 
to  the  terms,  providing  the  empire  would  contribute  bread 
and  forage,  and  provided  he  might  be  alleviated  in  some 
shape  or  other  from  his  quota,  which  he  declared  he  was 
utterly  unable  to  pay,  in  addition  to  the  sums  he  must 
expend  over  and  above  that  he  was  to  receive  for  the 
maintenance  of  the  army  we  required. 

I  observed,  that  the  recurring  to  the  Empire  for  bread 
and  forage,  was  a  point  to  which  I  had  no  authority  to 
speak,  but  which  I  conceived  belonged  more  properly  to 
the  great  Powers  in  Germany  to  determine  on  ;  that  I 
presumed,  however,  that  my  royal  master  would  not 
think  it  unfair  that  the  Empire  should  contribute  in  a 
degree  adequate  to  its  al)ility  to  the  (;arrying  on  a  war  so 
intimately  connected  with  its  safety  and  defence  ;  but  at 


1794.]  BERLIN.  57 

the  same  time  I  was  quite  sure,  and  happy  to  have  an  op- 
portunity given  me  of  expressing  it  clearly  and  strongly  to 
His  Prussian  ]\Iajesty,  that  His  JMajesty  never  would  con- 
cur in  any  arrangement  grounded  on  the  plans  of  seques- 
tration or  secularization,  because  His  Majesty  considered 
them  as  founded  on  unjust  principles,  and  as  extremely 
dangerous  to  the  tranquillity  of  Europe  ;  that,  in  regard 
to  the  quota  at  which  His  Prussian  Majesty  was  rated,  I 
was  extremely  sorry  to  find  he  objected  to  it,  because  I 
was  fearful  this  objection  would  raise  an  insurmountable 
obstacle  to  the  conclusion  of  the  business  ;  and  even  that 
if  it  did  not,  if  such  a  Treaty  of  Union  as  this  now  under 
negotiation  was  to  be  laid  before  the  public,  (as  it  neces- 
sarily must  be,)  and  His  Prussian  Majesty  appear  in  it, 
not  as  a  contracting  party  to  the  joint  expense,  but 
merely  as  one  subsidized,  it  would  not  only  lessen  his 
consideration  amongst  the  Powers  of  Europe,  but  also 
appear  as  if  his  concurrence  in  the  cause  was  not  so  cor- 
dial or  disinterested  as  that  of  the  three  other  Powers. 

I  entreated  him,  therefore,  to  consider  the  subject,  and 
not  for  the  sake  of  avoiding  a  temporary  inconvenience, 
reject  a  proposal,  the  acceptance  of  which  appeared  to 
me  as  closely  connected  with  both  his  dignity  and 
interest. 

Although  His  Prussian  ]\Iajesty  combated  but  feebly 
what  I  said,  yet  I  perceived  he  had  been  prepared  to  hold 
out  on  this  particular  point.  He  referred  me  to  his  Mi- 
nisters on  it,  and  said  he  would  recommend  me  to  be  as 
practicable  on  this  and  on  every  other  I  had  to  treat  as 
possible. 

From  the  King  of  Prussia  I  went  to  Count  Haugwiz, 
and  from  this  Minister  to  a  conference  with  him  and  his 
two  colleagues.  Count  Haugwiz,  who  had  seen  the  King 
at  an  earlier  hour  in  the  morning  than  myself,  was  pre- 
pared for  all  I  had  to  say  to  him  in  consequence  of  my 
audience.  In  our  conversation,  which  from  the  time  of 
my  appointment  at  Count  Finck's  was  very  short,  he 
stated,  that  the  only  two  points  on  which  we  could  at  all 
disagree  was,  that  the  Empire,  in  addition  to  the  sum  of 
two  millions  sterling,  should  supply  bread  and  forage,  and 


58  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [lHU. 

that  the  quota  allotted  to  the  King,  his  master,  should  be 
arranged  differently. 

In  the  conference,  which  was  composed  of  the  same 
persons  I  had  before  met  on  the  same  occasion,  I  stated 
that  it  had  given  my  Royal  Master  great  pleasure  to  re- 
ceive from  His  Prussian  Majesty  the  most  positive  assur- 
ances, that  he  considered  the  Treaty  of  Alliance  which 
united  them  as  subsisting  in  its  full  force,  at  the  same 
time  that  His  Majesty  had  to  regret  that  the  efibrts  His 
Prussian  Majesty  had  made  during  the  two  last  years, 
had  so  considerably  exhausted  his  treasury.  But  as  the 
continuing  the  war  was  not  a  measure  of  choice,  but  one 
of  necessity,  and  as  the  pressure  of  the  moment  called 
every  day  more  and  more  for  a  plan  of  vigorous  and 
decided  operations,  His  Majesty  observed  with  extreme 
satisfaction,  that  the  sentiments  of  His  Prussian  Majesty 
were  perfectly  conformable  to  his  own  ;  and  that,  with 
this  conviction  on  his  mind,  and  feeling  the  importance 
of  His  Prussian  Majesty  taking  a  leading  part  in  the  next 
campaign,  it  was  his  wish  to  see  the  Prussian  army  aug- 
mented to  a  much  greater  force,  and  his  desire,  as  far  as 
circumstances  would  allow  him,  to  contribute  jointly  with 
other  Powers  to  this  augmentation  ;  that  His  ^lajesty 
having  maturely  weighed  these  important  considerations 
in  his  mind,  had  come  to  a  resolution,  subject  to  the  con- 
sent of  the  other  coalesced  Powers,  of  furnishing  His 
Prussian  Majesty  with  a  very  considerable  sum  of  money, 
(and  I  then  mentioned  the  sum  and  the  allotments  with 
the  same  reserve  I  had  used  before  towards  His  Prussian 
Majesty  and  Count  Haugwiz,)  on  condition  that  he  w^ould 
have  an  army  of  100,000  men  on  the  Rhine;  that  in  this 
number  I  required  in  His  Majesty's  name  that  16,000  in- 
fantry and  4000  cavalry  should  be  supplied  by  His  Prus- 
sian Majesty,  as  the  succours  stipulated  by  the  Treaty  of 
Alliance  subsisting  l)etween  the  Courts  of  Great  Britain 
and  licrlin.  I  intimated  that  it  was  His  Majesty's  wish 
tliat  these  100,000  men  should  be  a  separate  army,  and 
under  tlie  connnand  and  direction  of  tlie  King  of  Prussia. 
I  cndod  by  recalling  again  to  the  minds  of  the  Prussian 
Ministry,  that  the  whole  of  this  arrangement  was  subser- 


1794.]  BERLIN.  59 

vient  to  the  consent  of  the  Court  of  Vienna,  and  to  that 
of  the  States-General,  to  whom  His  Majesty  has  communi- 
cated this  projected  arrangement,  but  with  whose  decision 
he  could  not  as  jet  be  acquainted. 

The  Prussian  Ministers,  after  minuting  what  I  said, 
took  it  for  reference,  in  order  to  report  to  the  King  of 
Prussia  ;  and  very  little  passed  on  their  part  except  a  few 
vag-ue  expressions  from  Count  Finck,  signifying  the  insur- 
mountable difficulty  he  foresaw  in  furnishing  his  fifth 
part.  I  made  only  a  general  reply,  reserving  all  I  had  to 
say  on  tliis  point  till  I  was  alone  with  Count  Haugwiz. 

I  was  prevented  by  various  reasons  from  seeing  him  on 
Saturday  ;  the  evening  of  that  day,  however,  I  had  a  short 
conversation  with  His  Prussian  Majesty,  and  had  the 
pleasure  to  hear  that  he  was  perfectly  satisfied  with  what 
I  had  said  to  His  Ministers. 

On  Sunday  evening  I  was  invited  by  them  to  another 
conference,  when  after  reading  to  me  the  minute  or  p?'o- 
tocole  of  what  had  passed  in  that  of  Friday,  Count  Finck 
put  into  my  hands  a  note  verhale,  which  he  told  me  was 
drawn  up  in  consequence  of  the  King's  orders.  On  read- 
ing it  over,  I  immediately  felt,  that  if  I  received  it  jninis- 
terialli/,  and  transmitted  it  to  your  Lordship,  that  it 
would  from  its  style  and  tenour  certainly  puzzle  and  pro- 
tract, if  not  entirely  defeat  the  negotiation.  I  therefore 
begged  leave  to  be  allowed  to  take  it  home  with  me  to 
peruse  at  my  leisure,  and  to  decline  receiving  it  from 
them  officially,  till  such  time  as  I  could  put  into  some 
order,  and  be  able  to  state  to  them  for  their  considera- 
tion, the  many  objections  I  had  to  make  to  it.  Some  of 
these  I  mentioned  directly,  and  on  the  whole  represented 
it  to  them  so  forcibly,  as  being  likely  to  impede  the  suc- 
cess of  the  negotiation,  that  they  would  have  withdrawn 
it  before  I  left  the  conference,  if  I  had  insisted  on  it.  I 
wished,  however,  to  have  it  in  my  power  to  send  your 
Lordship  a  copy  of  it  (which  I  here  enclose).  You  will 
be  pleased,  my  Lord,  to  recollect  it  is  a  paper  absolutely 
suppressed ;  that  no  part  of  it  is  in  force ;  that  it  is  even 
scarce  fair  towards  the  Prussian  ]\linisters  to  communi- 
cate it,  and  that  my  only  reason  for  wishing  you  to  see  it 


60  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [1794. 

is,  that  you  may  the  better  understand  what  has  since 
passed  between  Count  Plaugwiz  and  me. 

I  saw  him  on  Monday  morning  early,  when  I  told  him 
very  freely  I  was  convinced  our  negotiation  would  never 
end  pleasantly  if  it  was  to  be  carried  on  by  des  notes 
verhales :  that  they  had,  in  the  course  of  the  Autumn, 
gone  near  to  set  the  two  Courts  at  variance, "^'^  and  that 
several  parts  of  that  delivered  to  me  yesterday  was  of  the 
same  nature  as  those  I  referred  to.  I  then  read  it  over 
with  him,  and  made  my  objections  as  I  went  along. 

I  objected  strongly  to  the  idea  of  His  Prussian  Majesty 
refusing  to  pay  his  fifth  part,  and  still  more  to  the  pro- 
posal of  dividing  it  amongst  the  other  three  powers. 

I  objected  to  the  increase  of  16,000  men  as  insuffi- 
cient ;  and  although  I  could  not  speak  as  to  the  propriety 
of  the  Saxon  and  other  troops  of  the  empire  serving  with 
this  army,  I  could  not  possibly  admit  the  idea  of  these 
corps  being  counted  to  complete  the  number  of  100,000 
Prussians  we  were  agreeing  for. 

I  resisted  decidedly  the  proposal  that  His  Majesty 
should  become  a  guarantee  that  bread  and  forage  should 
be  supplied  for  the  maintenance  of  the  Prussian  army  by 
the  Empire,  supposing  this  measure  should  be  adopted. 

I  objected  to  the  date  to  be  fixed  to  the  Treaty,  i)ar- 
ticularly  if  in  addition  to  the  giving  it  this  retro-active 
force,  an  advance  of  two  millions  of  croAvns,  as  appeared 
from  the  note,  was  to  be  required.  I  told  him  I  disliked 
the  fixing  a  precise  term  for  the  completion  of  a  mea- 
sure, the  utility  of  which  was  evident  to  all  the  parties; 
and  that  if  these  once  agreed,  they  would  for  their  own 
sakes  bring  it  to  a  conclusion  as  soon  as  possible.  In 
short,  after  going  through  the  whole  Note,  1  said,  that  as  I 
was  quite  certain  His  Prussian  ]\Iajesty  earnestly  wished 
success  to  the  negotiation,  and  that  I  was  speaking  to  a 
minister  who  partook  of  the  sentiments  of  his  Sovereign, 
I  believe  I  might  venture,  without  any  disrespect  either 
towards  His  Prussian  Majesty  or  his  ministers,  to  desire 
him  (Count  Ilaugwiz)   to   take  back   this  note   verhale, 

*  ^Vllen  His  Prussian  Majesty  attempted  to  escape  from  his  cngaj^emcnts 
iiKule  by  tlie  Treaty  of  1787,  ilcnyiiig  the  present  war  to  he  a  casiisjkdcris. 


1794.]  BERLIN.  61 

and    to   adopt    some    different    mode   of  pursuing   our 
business. 

Count  Haugwiz,  after  a  good  deal  of  argument,  but 
carried  on  with  the  greatest  good  temper  on  both  sides, 
gave  up  the  idea  of  reckoning  the  Saxons  and  other 
troops  amongst  the  100,000  men,  and  also  that  of  His 
]\Iajesty's  becoming  a  guarantee  for  the  Empire  supplying 
the  army  with  bread  and  forage ;  but  he  made  a  stand  on 
the  impossibility  of  the  King  of  Prussia  paying  his  quota, 
and  on  the  date  fixed  for  giving  effect  to  the  Treaty.  He 
assented  to  me,  and  made  use  of  the  expression  "/oi 
de- gentilliommef  that,  notwithstanding  the  very  liberal 
supply  we  were  disposed  to  afford  His  Prussian  Majesty, 
that  over  and  above  the  two  millions  sterling  His  Prussian 
Majesty  would  be  obliged  to  disburse  at  least  seven  millions 
of  crowns,  and  that  if,  in  addition  to  those  seven  millions, 
he  was  called  upon  to  furnish  his  fifth  quota,  which 
would  amount  to  upwards  of  two  millions  and  a  half  more ; 
it  would  not  only  entirely  empty  his  treasury  to  the  last 
penny,  but  force  him  to  have  recourse  to  a  loan.  That  it 
was  from  the  same  principle  that  the  year  1794,  from  its 
beginning  to  its  end,  was  taken  as  the  term  for  the  dura- 
tion of  the  Treaty  ;  since  by  making  the  first  day  of  the 
year  the  date  of  the  Treaty,  His  Prussian  Majesty  would 
receive  about  the  two  millions  which  was  necessary  for 
him  to  complete  the  army  on  the  Rhine,  and  put  in 
motion  {en  Hat  de  mobilite)  the  number  of  troops  neces- 
sary to  raise  it  to  100,000  men.  And  that  if  this  date 
was  admitted,  the  advances  required  would  cease  of  course. 

I  employed  uselessly  every  argument  in  my  power 
to  make  him  give  up  these  two  points  ;  he  opposed  to 
everv  one  I  used,  the  invincible  one,  that  it  was  not  in 
the  King  of  Prussia's  power  to  act  otherwise  than  he  did. 

He  then  adverted  to  what  I  had  said  relative  to  the 
notes  verbales,  which  he  was  ever  ready  to  admit  was  quite 
true,  but  asked  what  mode  I  wished  to  adopt  in  their 
stead  ?  I  replied,  that  nothing  could  forward  the  busi- 
ness so  much,  and  lead  to  a  decision  one  way  or  other  so 
quickly,  as  to  draw  up  a  projct  of  a  treaty.  That  in 
addition  to  this  he  should  give  a  correct  and  true  state  of 


62  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [l794. 

the  number  of  fighting-men  to  be  empk)jecl  ;  which  I 
said  I  required  should  be  all  Prussians,  and  not  mixed 
with  any  troops  of  the  Empire,  and  also  a  faithful  and 
minute  account  of  the  expenses  of  such  an  army  in  the 
field ;  that  the  being  in  possession  of  these  three  papers, 
which  I  should  transmit  to  your  Lordship,  the  business 
might  at  once  be  brought  to  a  point,  for  they  would  serve 
to  shew  what  His  Prussian  Majesty  intended  to  do,  what 
he  expected  the  other  Powers  to  do,  and  the  conditions 
by  which  the  performance  of  these  reciprocal  engagements 
were  to  be  ensured.  That  I  saw  no  other  possible  way  of 
bringing  the  business  to  an  early  determination.  And 
that  in  the  present  situation  of  afiairs,  it  certainly  had 
better  be  broken  off  at  once,  than  die  away  in  a  lingering 
negotiation;  as  while  any  hopes  of  its  success  were  kept 
alive,  other  measures  that  might  be  adopted  for  pursuing 
the  war  with  equal  vigour  would  be  suspended. 

Count  Haugwiz  approved  very  much  this  method  of 
proceeding  ;  he  took  back  the  note  verhale,  which  he  ob- 
served I  was  now  to  consider  as  null  and  void,  and  said 
he  would  immediately  mention  to  the  King  my  motives 
for  not  receiving  it,  as  well  as  the  way  I  had  traced  out 
for  forwarding  the  negotiation. 

On  Tuesday  morning  the  11th  instant  Ileslop  delivered 
me  your  Lordship's  despatch.  I  was  happy  to  find  from 
its  contents  that  I  had  in  some  points  forestalled  your 
Lordship's  orders,  and  in  none  acted  contrary  to  them. 
What  your  Lordship  mentions  of  the  reluctance  of  the 
Court  of  Vienna  to  contribute  any  pecuniary  assistance 
to  the  King  of  Prussia,  and  of  its  jealousy  of  the  effect 
which  might  be  produced  by  placing  him  at  the  head 
of  so  large  and  separate  an  army,  was  evident  from 
the  conduct  of  Count  Lehrbach  towards  me  for  the  last 
three  weeks.  I  do  not  mean  to  say  tliat  it  has  been  at  all 
unfriendly  or  disagreeable,  but  his  language  has  been  one 
perpetual  abuse  of  the  character  and  conduct  of  tliis 
Court,  without  ever  mentioning  his  own,  from  whence  he 
declares  he  has  not  received  a  line  for  nearly  a  month. 
I  endeavour  to  conceal  from  him  that  I  observe  this  tilte- 
ration  in  liis  manner,  and  am  still  more  careful  to  conceal 


1794.]  BERLIN.  C3 

it  from  the  ministers  here,  who  would  be  too  ready  to 
catch  at  anything  which  could  gratify  their  never-ceasing 
animosity  against  the  Court  of  Vienna, 

I  passed  several  hours  with  Count  Haugwiz,  both  in  the 
morning  and  evening  of  Tuesday.  Our  great  object  was 
to  hit  on  some  temperament  which  might  make  it  practi- 
cable for  His  Prussian  Majesty  to  contribute  his  fifth 
part ;  but  we  could  devise  none  on  which  we  could  agree. 
Count  Haugwiz  proposed  as  ultimatum,  that  the  sum  to 
be  given  should  be  two  millions  and  a  half  sterling,  rated 
in  the  same  manner  as  the  two  millions  already  oifered  ; 
and  that  if  this  were  agreed  to,  His  Prussian  Majesty 
would  then  consent  to  furnish  500,000/.  as  one-fifth 
part  of  the  whole,  without  any  stipulation  for  a  reim- 
bursement at  the  peace,  and  put  himself  in  this  arrange- 
ment, precisely  on  the  same  footing  with  the  other  sub- 
scribing Powers. 

I  told  him  my  instructions  were  so  binding  as  to  the 
utmost  extent  of  the  sum  to  which  I  was  to  go,  that  I 
could  not  give  him  the  smallest  hopes  that  this  increase 
would  be  admitted,  but  that  I  would  mention  it  to  your 
Lordship.  The  expedient  he  proposed  for  easing  the 
King  of  Prussia  of  his  quota  will  appear  in  the  'projet. 
It  scarce  deserves  that  name,  and  I  send  it  because  I  could 
not  gain  any  ground  on  this  point. 

Count  Haugwiz  said  the  King  had  commanded  him  to 
conform  to  the  three  points  I  had  proposed  ;  that  he  had 
orders  from  His  Prussian  Majesty  to  draw  up,  without  loss 
of  time,  the  project  of  a  treaty  ;  and  also  to  give  me 
the  most  exact  account  of  the  names  of  the  regiments 
which  were  to  compose  the  army  we  required,  and  the 
amount  of  its  expenses  for  one  campaign  :  that  it  would 
require  two  days  to  have  these  papers  in  readiness,  parti- 
cularly that  relative  to  the  choice  of  the  regiments,  which 
was  a  point  the  King  settled  himself,  without  allowing 
anybody  to  interfere. 

Wednesday  and  Thursday  I  had  no  communication 
with  the  Prussian  Ministry.  I  employed  these  days  in 
endeavouring  to  collect  the  most  accurate  information  I 
could  obtain  of  the  expenses  of  a  large  army  in  the  field. 


64  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [l794. 

such  as  I  have  been  able  to  acquire,  I  shall  send  in  a 
separate  despatch. 

Count  Lehrl^ach  could  afford  me  no  assistance  ;  he  is  no 
military  man  himself,  and  has  nobody  with  him  at  all 
versed  in  military  concerns. 

On  Friday  morning  I  received  a  message  from  Count 
Finck,  desiring  me  to  attend  a  conference  at  twelve 
o'clock,  when  I  received  from  the  Prussian  ]\linister  the 
enclosed  projet  of  a  convention.  They  also  gave  me  a 
list  of  the  army  His  Prussian  Majesty  intends  to  have  on  the 
Rhine,  if  this  Convention  is  agreed  to,  and  a  statement  of 
what  such  an  army  thus  employed  would  cost.  I  enclose 
both  these  papers. 

In  regard  to  the  Convention  itself,  it  is  such  a  one,  as 
after  what  I  have  written,  your  Lordship  will  be  prepared 
to  receive.  I  had  in  my  conversations  with  Count  Haug- 
wiz,  prevailed  upon  him  to  alter  several  parts  of  it,  parti- 
cularly an  insertion  they  had  made,  requiring  that  the  in- 
terest on  the  loan  to  be  raised  by  His  Prussian  ]\rajesty,  and 
considered  as  his  quota,  should  be  paid  in  equal  shares  by 
the  coalesced  Powers,  in  addition  to  their  being  security 
for  the  reimbursement  of  the  principal  sum  borrowed.  In 
this  original  projet  also,  the  first  of  January  stood  as  the 
day  from  which  we  should  commence  the  payment  of 
bread  and  forage  for  the  20,000  men  furnished  to  us  by 
treaty.  This  I  of  course  could  not  hear  of,  and  it  remains 
in  blank  to  be  filled  up. 

I  could  not  by  any  possible  suggestions  obtain  any 
other  mode  of  regulating  His  Prussian  Majesty's  fifth  part, 
every  one  which  tended  to  lay  the  charge  more  directly 
on  him,  was  resisted  from  the  plea  I  have  already  men- 
tioned. The  alternative  the  Prussian  JMinisters  have  pro- 
posed under  the  title  of  Premier  Cas,  would  certainly 
get  rid  of  this  difficulty,  and  in  the  choice  of  these  two 
articles  (supposing  they  are  not  botli  treated  as  inad- 
missible) it  is  perhaps  a  point  for  consideration,  whether 
in  the  event  the  several  Powers  are  not  equally  liound  by 
both  of  them  to  pay  ultimately  the  fifth  share  allotted 
to  His  Prussian  Majesty,  and  if  this  is  tlic  case,  the  first 
would  not  bo  iho  most  preferal)le,  as  His  Prussian  Majesty 


1794.]  BERLIN.  65 

offers  to  contribute  500,000/.:  400,000/.  would  be  the 
sum  wanted  to  complete  the  two  millions  and  a  half, 
which  400,000/.  is  also  the  amount  of  the  reimbursement 
to  be  secured;  if  we  take  the  second  case.  Count  Haugwiz 
suggested  that  France  should  be  engaged  eventually  at 
the  peace  for  the  repayment  of  this  400,000/.  to  the 
three  Powers,  on  the  same  conditions  we  had  proposed  it 
should  be  repaid  to  the  King  of  Prussia ;  but  I  declined 
entering  into  any  deliberation  on  the  subject,  repeating  to 
him  that  my  instructions  were  positive,  and  that  I  could 
not  listen  to  any  proposal  which  required  our  supplying  a 
larger  sum  than  that  I  have  mentioned. 

In  regard  to  the  term  of  this  present  year  being  fixed 
for  the  duration  of  the  Treaty,  notwithstanding  I  repre- 
sented it  as  likely  to  be  found  liable  to  great  objections, 
I  could  not  prevail  upon  the  Prussian  Ministry  to  alter  it. 

I  discussed  all  these  points  again,  after  the  conference, 
with  Count  Haugwiz,  and  with  the  same  effect. 

The  list  and  amount  of  the  army  speaks  for  itself  It 
is,  I  believe,  on  the  whole  correct,  and  is  certainly  com- 
posed of  the  choicest  troops  the  King  of  Prussia  has. 
Count  Haugwiz  observed  to  me,  that,  if  the  reinforcement 
to  be  sent  appeared  inferior  in  number  to  that  necessary 
to  raise  the  army  now  on  the  Rhine  to  the  amount  we 
required,  it  was  from  His  Prussian  Majesty  intending  to 
put  on  the  full  war  establishment  the  regiments  which 
were  there  ;  and  Count  Haugwiz  took  upon  himself  to 
pledge  his  word  that  the  whole  number  stated  should 
take  the  field,  and  that  I  might  be  sure  His  Prussian 
Majesty,  as  well  for  the  sake  of  his  military  glory,  as  out 
of  a  regard  to  his  engagements,  would  take  care  it  never 
should  be  less. 

As  to  the  calculation  for  the  expenses,  I  have  closely 
questioned  General  Gensau  and  Colonel  Manstein,  who  are 
at  the  head  of  the  War  Department,  on  that  point.  I  re- 
presented to  them  how  essential  it  was  for  their  Master's 
honour,  and  for  the  success  of  a  negotiation  to  which 
they  were  so  cordially  well-wishers,  that  the  account 
should  be  as  fair  and  as  clear  as  possible.  They  both 
assured  me  they  felt  this,  and  had  never  lost  sight  of  it 

VOL.  III.  F 


G6  DIARIES   AND    CORRESPONDENCE.  [1794. 

while  they  were  drawing  it  up.  Yesterday  morning 
(Saturday)  the  King  sent  for  me  to  come  to  him.  His 
Majesty  kept  me  with  him  some  time.  He  recapitulated 
everything  that  had  been  done,  which  he  hoped  (what- 
ever might  be  the  fate  of  the  negotiation)  woidd  give  His 
Majesty  a  convincing  proof  of  his  earnest  wish  to  co- 
operate in  a  cause  on  which  their  feelings  and  sentiments 
were  so  perfectly  similar  :  that  he  most  assuredly  should 
not  have  applied  for  pecuniary  assistance,  if  he  had  any 
means  left  within  his  kingdom  for  continuing  the  war  in 
an  effectual  manner  without  it  :  that  he  felt  in  the 
strongest  degree  the  confidential,  liberal,  and  open  man- 
ner in  which  His  ]\Iajesty  had  acted  on  this  occasion  to- 
wards him ;  and  that  it  gave  him  the  greatest  satisfac- 
tion to  see  that  the  two  Courts  were  now  placed  again  on 
a  footing  of  mutual  confidence  and  cordiality  :  that  it 
had  given  him  great  pain  to  observe  that  this  had  been 
for  a  while  interrupted,  and  that  doubts  had  been  enter- 
tained that  he  intended  to  abandon  the  cause  abruptly  ; 
and,  what  hurt  him  still  more,  that  he  could  degrade 
himself  so  much  as  to  enter  into  a  negotiation  with  the 
Convention  (which  he  qualified  with  the  most  injurious 
epithet).  He  authorized  me,  in  the  strongest  expressions, 
to  declare  the  contrary  ;  and  finished  a  longer  speech  than 
I  ever  heard  him  make,  by  desiring  me  to  express  from  him 
to  His  Majesty  every  possible  sentiment  of  personal 
friendship  and  regard,  and  every  wish  to  unite  the  two 
Courts  by  a  system  of  the  closest  political  union. 

I  made  a  suitable  reply  to  what  I  heard,  (which  I  do 
not  exaggerate  in  the  report  I  have  just  made,)  and  I 
took  this  opportunity  of  saying  to  His  Prussian  IMajesty, 
that  if,  from  an  impossibility  of  concurrence  on  the  part 
of  the  other  Powers  concerned,  the  transaction  with  which 
I  was  charged  should  not  be  found  practicable,  that  from 
the  readiness  His  ]\Iajesty  had  shewn  to  comply  with  His 
Prussian  Majesty's  request,  and  from  the  manner  in  which 
he  entered  into  his  situation,  I  hoped  that  His  Prussian 
Majesty  would  consider  liis  engagement  with  His  Majesty 
by  treaty  as  binding,  in  preference  to  any  other,  and 
that,  as  the  necessity  for  continuing  the  Avar  would  still 


1794.]  BERLIN.  G7 

remain,  he  would,  in  concert  with  His  Majesty,  take  the 
most  efficacious  measures  for  pursuing  it  with  vigour. 

His  Prussian  Majesty  did  not  hesitate  a  moment  to  say 
he  would.  The  rest  of  what  passed  was  relative  to  the p?^ojet 
I  had  received,  which  His  Prussian  Majesty  sincerely  hoped 
would  be  adopted,  and  assured  me  that  the  negotiation 
never  should  fail  by  his  refusing  any  concession  which 
may  be  required  of  him,  and  which  it  was  in  his  power 
to  make.  He  spoke  out  of  humour  of  the  Court  of 
Vienna,  which  he  said  was  losing  time  and  creating  de- 
lays at  the  moment  when  the  pressure  was  so  great  that 
too  much  expedition  could  not  be  employed.  He  seemed 
to  have  hopes  of  the  good  effect  of  the  Prince  de  Nassau's 
journey  there,  and  calculated  that  he  would  arrive  nearly 
about  the  same  time  that  Sir  M.  Eden  would  receive 
your  Lordship's  instructions.  His  Prussian  Majesty  men- 
tioned, as  he  had  often  done  before,  the  Austrian  indem- 
nity, and  wished  to  know  where  they  would  be.  On  my 
saying,  probably  in  Alsatia,  Lorraine,  and  Flanders,  he 
said  he  should  be  perfectly  ready  to  agree  to  this,  if  the 
Court  of  Vienna  would  come  to  a  fair  explanation  on  the 
subject. 

I  was  with  Count  Haugwiz  again  yesterday  and  this 
morning,  and  we  again  went  over  the  whole  business ; 
but  I  do  not  recollect  that  any  new  matter  arose,  or  that 
anything  passed  worth  relating,  except  that  the  Count 
assured  me,  that  from  the  different  letters  they  had  re- 
ceived, and  from  the  language  of  the  Electoral  Ministers 
here,  there  was  every  reason  to  expect  that  the  Empire 
would  very  readily  consent  to  contribute  bread  and  forage 
to  the  Prussian  army,  if  the  measure  was  recommended 
and  supported  by  the  Emperor. 

I  shall  now  no  longer  delay  sending  away  my  messen- 
ger :  I  could  have  wished  some  information  had  been  re- 
ceived from  Vienna  relative  to  the  intentions  of  that 
Court  before  I  despatched  him,  but  this  is  not  likely  to 
come  as  yet  for  several  days  ;  and  as  it  will,  when  it  does 
arrive,  lead  probably  to  long  discussions  and  Ministerial 
conferences,  I  thought  it  most  advisable  (and  in  this 
Count  Lehrbach  agreed  with  me)   not  to  wait,  but  to 

r  2 


G8  DIAUTES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [1794. 

transmit  you  the  steps  I  had  taken  here,  and  the  form 
into  which  I  had  put  the  business,  in  order  that  it  might 
go  on,  at  least  as  far  as  related  to  England.  To  save 
time  was  my  principal  motive,  and  for  this  reason  I  have 
been  as  circumstantial  and  minute  as  possible.  Yet  I 
still  fear  I  have  omitted  many  points  to  which  your 
Lordship  will  think  it  necessary  to  recur  before  any  final 
arrangement  can  be  taken.  With  the  materials  you  have 
now  in  your  possession  you  will  be  the  best  judge 
whether  some  "  provisional  convention"  might  not  be  pro- 
posed and  signed  while  the  "  main  treaty"  is  under  deliber- 
ation. Had  my  colleagues  of  Austria  and  Holland  been 
prepared,  I  felt  myself,  empowered  by  my  instructions  to 
have  done  it  now;  but  without  them  it  was  useless  for 
me  to  propose  it,  even  if  any  one  could  have  been  drawn 
up  which  would  have  satisfied  the  views  of  this  Court 
without  pledging  too  far  the  other  Powers. 

The  first  point  of  any  provisionary  arrangement  must 
be  the  consenting  to  advance  two  or  three  millions  of 
dollars  to  His  Prussian  Majesty,  as  they  persist  here  in 
declaring  that  without  this  advance  it  is  impossible  for 
them  to  put  the  army  in  motion.  I  have,  &c. 


Malmesbury. 


Right  Hon.  Lord  Grenville,  &c. 


Monday,  Feb.  10. — Breakfast  at  Frederickstadt  with 
Meden — went  with  the  Reuss's  and  stayed  till  five — at 
Haugwiz's  till  seven — at  home  to  write. 


Friday,    Feb.    14. — Writing.       Conference    received 
projet  of  convention  from  Haugwiz. 


Saturday,  Feb.  15. — Writing.  Haugwiz  called  on  me. 
With  the  King.  Assembly  at  Court — supper  at  Meden's 
— elegant  apartments. 


1794.J  BERLIN.  69 


LETTER  FROM   THE   DUKE   OF   PORTLAND   TO   LORD  MALMESBURY. 

London,  Sunday,  16th  Feb.,  1794. 

My  dear  Lord,  —  ^ly  good  friend  and  neighbour, 
Mr.  Mellisli,  is  very  anxious  that  I  should  request  your 
countenance  and  protection  for  the  young  gentleman  who 
will  have  the  honour  of  delivering  you  this  letter ;  his 
name  is  Lawrence,  and  I  understand  that  the  object  of  his 
ambition  is  to  qualify  himself  for  the  diplomatic  line, 
for  which  I  most  heartily  wish  we  had  a  supply  of  fit 
and  able  persons,  because  we  can't  divide  you  into 
one  quarter  of  the  situations  where  your  services  would 
be  of  importance  to  the  common  cause,  and  where  I  know 
they  are  wished  for  as  much  as  ever  they  are  in  Holland, 
from  whence  I  never  receive  a  letter  without  lamentations 
for  the  want  of  you,  and  representations  of  the  necessity 
of  your  return  there,  or  of  some  person  as  like  Lord 
Malmesbury  as  possible  being  sent  there.  General 
Bentinck  writes  me  word,  that  by  the  end  of  the  week 
after  next  the  Hereditary  Prince  of  Orange  will  he  at  his 
head-quarters  at  Namur,  at  the  head  of  an  army  of  about 
25,000  effective  men,  rank  and  file,  by  which  I  hope  he 
means  exclusive  of  officers.  I  know  you  will  be  glad  to 
hear  that  I  have  got  a  majority  for  my  son  William,"' 
and  that  I  am  not  without  hopes  of  getting  him  a  lieut.- 
colonelcy  before  the  opening  of  the  campaign,  and  that  in 
such  a  way  as  will  enable  him  to  gratify  himself  in  serving 
again  under  the  Duke  of  York,  who  will  return  to  the  army 
the  latter  end  of  next  week.  But  I  cannot  help  saying, 
that  unless  the  licentious,  not  to  say  mutinous,  spirit  against 
the  Duke  of  York,  which  prevails  among  our  troops,  and 
which  originated  in,  I  am  sorry  to  say,  and  is  even  culti- 
vated in,  the  Guards,  is  not  subdued  and  extinguished, 
there  is  an  end  of  the  army,  and  that  of  the  country  can- 
not be  very  far  distant ;  and,  when  I  cannot  deceive  my- 
self with  respect  to  the  quarters  from  whence  this  infernal 
spirit  is  encouraged,  I  cannot  consider  it  but  with  equal 

*  Lord    William   Bentinck,  who  afterwards   commanded   our   army    in 
Sicily,  and  was  Governor-General  of  India  in  1831. 


70  DIARIES   AND    CORRiiSPONDENCE.  [1794. 

astonishment  and  horror.  I  wish  this  intimation,  but 
which  I  think  cannot  be  new  to  you,  may  enable  you  to 
be  of  some  service  ;  and  yet  I  can  have  no  great  confi- 
dence in  the  influence  you  possess  either  at  Carlton 
House,  or  the  Queeiis  Lodge.  I  am,  &c. 

Portland. 


Sunday,  Feb.  16. — At  Court — writing  at  home — re-des- 
patched messenger. 


EXTRACTS    OF    A    DESPATCH    FROM    LORD    MALMESBURY   TO 

LORD   GRENVILLE. 

Berlin,  16tli  Feb.,  1794. 

I  LOST  no  time  in  acquainting  both  Count  Lehrbach 
and  the  Baron  de  Reede  with  the  substance  of  the  in- 
structions brought  me  by  Timms. 

I  explained  to  both  of  them  the  sum  His  jVlajesty  had 
supposed  requisite  to  empower  His  Prussian  ]\lajesty  to 
bring  100,000  men  into  the  field,  and  the  manner  in 
which  His  Majesty  proposed  this  sum  should  be  raised. 

They  applauded  and  approved  the  idea,  but  informed 
me  that  they  were  without  any  specific  instructions  on 
the  subject. 

The  Dutch  Minister,  indeed,  expressed  a  readiness  to 
subscribe  to  any  eventual  arrangement  I  might  make; 
but  Count  Lehrbach  declared  himself  to  be  absolutely 
without  any  poAvers,  and  that  he  could  not  take  upon 
himself  to  act  without  them. 

As  I  perceived  these  symptoms  of  jealousy  and  appre- 
hension, your  Lordship's  despatch  has  since  confirm- 
ed to  me,  growing  very  fast  in  the  mind  of  the  Aus- 
trian Plenipotentiary,  I  made  it  my  particular  object  to 
be  as  open  and  confidential  to  him  as  possible;  and  I 
spared  no  pains  to  impress  his  mind  with  the  importance 
of  the  object,  and  that  it  was  such  that  all  collateral 
and  ordinary  considerations  ought  to  disappear  before  it. 


1794.]  BERLIN.  71 

After  delaying  Timms  from  Wednesday  till  Saturday, 
and  hesitating  what  I  should  do,  I  determined  at  last  to 
send  him  to  Petersburgh.  Sir  Charles  Whitworth  will 
be  the  best  judge  of  the  steps  he  is  to  take  in  conse- 
quence of  what  I  wrote,  which  was  stating  to  him  the 
turn  I  by  that  time  saw  the  negotiation  was  likely 
to  take  here.  I  fear  we  must  expect  nothing  from  the 
Empress  but  fair  words,  but  it  would  be  contrary  to 
my  duty  to  act  solely  on  this  idea. 


Monday,  Feb.  17. — Lehrbach  with  me.  Dined  with 
King — called  on  Nesselrode  — wrote  to  Petersburgh — 
supped  and  played  ombre  with  Prince  Henry. 


Tuesday,  Feb.  18. — King  went  to  Potsdam.  Wrote  to 
Vienna — called  on  Madame  Reuss  —  supper  at  Count 
Finckenstein's. 


Thursday,  Feb.  20. — Walked.     Ball  at  Prince  Royal's. 
King  returned  from  Potsdam. 


Friday,  Feb,  21. — Walked  with  Haugwiz — dined  at 
home — Haugwiz  very  friendly  and  communicative — if 
Vienna  does  not  agree  to  our  plan,  proposed  to  form  a 
new  one  between  England  and  Russia.  Alvensleben  in 
the  evening. 

Sunday,  Feb.  23. — Walked — dined  at  home — ball  at 
King's.  King  talked  about  Vienna,  expressed  his  doubts 
of  that  Court  acceding  to  the  convention. 


Monday,  Feb.  24.  —  Walked  and  breakfasted  with 
Princess  Royal  and  Louis  —  dined  at  home — supper 
Princess  Henry. 


72  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [l794. 

Tuesday,  Feb.  25, — At  home  till  evening — Bellevue — 
pleasant  style  of  supper — played  deep  wliist  witli  Princess 
Ferdinand. 


Wed^^esday,  Feb.  26. — Letters  from  Vienna  —  that 
Court  disinclined  to  accede ;  Lucchesini's  description  of 
it  to  Haugwiz.  With  him  in  the  morning — long  conversa- 
tion on  the  subject  —  great  acrimony  and  prejudice 
against  the  Court  of  Vienna — I  endeavour  to  soften  it. 
Dine  at  home — sup  at  Queen  Dowager's. 


EXTRACTS    OF    A   DESPATCH    FROM    LORD    MALMESBURY   TO 

LORD    GRENVILLE. 

Berlin,  1st  March,  1794. 

Wednesday  morning  a  messenger  brought  letters  from 
the  Marquis  de  Lucchesini,  to  say  that  the  Court  of 
Vienna  was  by  no  means  inclined  to  come  into  the 
terms  proposed.  I  had  letters  to  the  same  effect  from 
Sir  W.  Eden,  and  Prince  Nassau  gave  similar  informa- 
tion to  the  King  of  Prussia. 

Count  Haugwiz,  whom  I  saw  soon  after  these  letters 
were  received,  expressed  himself  in  very  severe  terms  on 
this  behaviour  of  the  Court  of  Vienna,  which  he  called 
tergiversation.      He  said,  the   King  his   master  partook 
strongly   of  the  same  feelings,  and  was  determined   to 
insist   on  an    early  and    decisive   answer.     He   said   to 
me   the   greater  part   of  M.  Lucchesini's   letter,    which 
appears  to  be  written   with   less  virulence  than    I    ex- 
pected to  find  in  his  style.     After  mentioning  the  dis- 
inclination  in   the    Court   of  Vienna  to  accede  to  the 
terms  of  the  Convention,   he  enters  into  a  description 
of  its  IVIinistry  ;  he  states  the  whole  power  as  being  in 
the  hands  of  Baron  Thugut  and  M.  Eollin,  and  that  tliey 
are  the  great  opposers  to   the   plan   of  coalition  ;    that 
Prince  Colloredo  and  Marshal  Lascy  are  not  unfavourable 
to  it  ;  that  the  Elector  of  Colegrave  is  decidedly  for  it. 
In  the   evening   of  Wednesday   I   saw   His  Prussian 


1794]  BERLIN.  73 

Majesty,  who  spoke  of  the  intelligence  he  had  received 
from  Vienna  as  his  Ministers  had  done;  and  he  added, 
that  he  was  extremely  concerned  to  perceive  that  the 
jealousy  and  suspicion  there,  was  likely  to  defeat  the 
whole  negotiation — that  everything,  however,  ought  to 
be  done  to  prevent  this.  Thursday  morning,  Count 
Haugwiz  told  me  the  substance  of  the  instructions  they 
intended  to  send  by  Lucchesini,  by  a  messenger  that 
evening.  The  style  of  this  letter,  which  was  commu- 
nicated to  me,  is  less  cordial  than  I  could  have  desired ; 
but  it  is  that  of  the  underlings  in  the  Prussian  offices, 
who  are  left  to  draw  up  all  these  papers,  and  who  think 
they  increase  their  master's  importance  by  making  him 
talk  a  high  and  even  uncivil  lang-uage. 

I  felt  it  of  such  infinite  importance  that  His  j\Iajesty's 
Minister  at  Vienna  should  be  exactly  informed  of  what 
was  going  on  here,  and  as  I  am  sure,  from  the  way 
in  which  Lucchesini  mentions  Sir  Morton  Eden  in  his 
despatches,  he  would  not  be  so  from  him,  that  I  deter- 
mined to  send  one  of  my  servants  to  Vienna  with  an 
account  of  what  had  been  done;  and  this  servant  (on 
whose  fidelity  and  expedition  I  can  depend)  left  Berlin 
on  Thursday  evening,  nearly  at  the  same  time  as  the 
messenger  despatched  by  the  Prussian  Ministry. 

I  hope,  my  Lord,  that  I  have  not  exceeded  my  duty  in 
saying  this  much.  The  most  difficult  and  hopeless  part  of 
the  important  measure  now  under  negotiation  is,  to  keep 
the  two  Courts  of  Berlin  and  Vienna  on  anything  like 
even  tenns  :  extreme  suspicion  and  envy  pervade  them 
both  ;  and  their  mutual  prejudices  are  so  strong,  that  it  is 
impossible  to  believe  them  when  speahing  of  each  other. 
This  unfortunate  principle  supersedes  every  other  consi- 
deration, whether  it  be  one  of  common  danger  or  of  mutual 
advantage  ;  and  I  much  fear  we  shall  feel  the  bad  eifects 
of  it  during  every  period  of  the  negotiation,  and  even 
after  its  conclusion,  let  it  terminate  how  it  will. 


Friday,  Feb.  28. — Walked.    Dinner  at  Pteeden's.    Vi- 
sits.    Tea  at  Alvensleben's — Duke  of  Brunswick  came. 


74  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [1794. 

Saturday,  March  1. — Called  on  Madame  L.  Reuss. — 
Dinner  at  King's  with  Duke  of  Brunswick — great  dinner 
— King  very  civil,  but  formal  with  the  Duke.  Supper  at 
Queen's^Duke  of  BrunsAvick  told  me  he  was  glad  M()llen- 
dorfF  had  the  command  ;  he  would  do  better  politically 
than  he  could— Duke  appeared  soured — said  he  was  7no- 
ralement  malade,  and  that  he  would  come  and  tell  me  his 
whole  story. 


Sunday,  March  2. — Court  in  the  morning.  Walked. 
Dined  at  home.  Ball  at  King's — Princess  Louis's  birth- 
day. 


Monday,  March  3. — Dinner  with  the  King — small 
dinner — Duke  of  Brunswick  silent  and  obsequious.  Sup- 
per with  Prince  Henry. 


EXTRACTS    OF    A  DESPATCH    FROM    LORD    MALMESBURY    TO  LORD 

GRENVILLE. 

Berlin,  8th  March,  1794. 

Although  I  am  preparing  letters  for  your  Lordshij),  to 
go  by  a  Dutch  messenger  who  is  to  leave  Berlin  this 
evening,  yet,  as  it  is  most  likely  he  will  travel  slower 
than  the  post,  I  think  it  necessary  to  write  a  few  lines,  to 
say,  that,  in  consequence  of  ]\Iarquis  Lucchesini's  letters, 
and  of  the  reports  made  by  Prince  Nassau,  who  returne<l 
on  Thursday  night,  the  dissatisfaction  of  this  Court 
towards  that  of  Vienna  is  at  its  height.  The  civil  terms 
in  which  Count  Lehrbach  conveyed  the  refusal  of  the  Em- 
peror to  accede  to  the  arrangement  proposed,  and  the 
friendly  professions  with  which  he  qualified  this  refusal, 
have  been  of  no  service ;  neither  has  any  effort  of  mine 
as  yet  been  able  to  soften  the  King  of  Prussia's  feel- 
ings, or  to  alter  his  opinion  on  the  conduct  of  the 
Emperor. 

In  j)r(ijiortion,  however,  as  his  resentment  against  the 


1704.  J  BERLIN.  75 

Court  of  Vienna  is  great,  his  assurances  of  remaining  in- 
violably attached  to  His  Majesty  and  to  his  system  are 
strong. 

Count  Haugwiz  repeats  this  to  me  every  day,  and  has 
expressed  his  earnest  desire  that  some  new  plan  may  be 
immediately  formed  for  establishing  a  military  co-opera- 
tion between  His  Majesty,  and  the  King  of  Prussia,  and 
the  States-General. 

I,  however,  have  desired  Count  Haugwiz  to  wait  a  few 
days  before  any  new  projet  is  drawn,  as  I  have  reason  to 
expect  in  a  short  time  an  answer  from  your  Lordship  to 
my  despatches  by  Heslop,  and  also  my  servant  sent  back 
from  Vienna. 

The  Prussian  Minister  acquiesced  in  the  propriety  of 
waiting  till  these  messengers  arrived,  but  intimated  at  the 
same  time  that  it  would  be  impossible  (from  the  want  of 
provisions  and  magazines)  for  the  Prussian  army  to  re- 
main on  the  Rhine  in  its  present  position  later  than  the 
1st  of  April.  I  replied,  I  could  not  suppose  it  possible 
that  the  King  of  Prussia  would  give  any  orders  for  it  to 
move  as  long  as  any  negotiation  was  pending  ;  as  such  a 
step,  besides  being  perhaps  in  the  event  contrary  to  the 
conditions  which  would  finally  be  agreed  on,  would  pro- 
duce the  worst  and  most  dangerous  effect.  I  shall  per- 
sist in  urging  this,  and  have  little  doubt  but  I  shall  be 
listened  to. 


Wednesday,  March  .5. — With  Count  Haugwiz.  Walked. 
'New  projet  in  contemplation. 


Thursday,  March  6. — Walked.  Dined  at  Reeden's. 
With  Haugwiz  in  evening  —  very  right  in  his  ideas. 
Supped  at  Princess  Royal's. 


Saturday,  March  8. — Walked.      Dined   at  Armin's. 
Assembly  at  Minister  Haugwiz's. 


76  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [l794. 

Sunday,  March  9/- — Dinner  at  Prince  Reuss's.  Queen's 
supper  and  ball. 


Monday,  ]\Iarch  10. — Princess  Ptoyal's  birth-day.  Din- 
ner at  Prince  Reuss's.  Ball  at  King's.  Haugwiz  called  on 
me  to  propose  to  remove  the  negotiation  to  the  Hague'"' 
— I  accept  it. 


LETTER  FROM  LORD  MALMESBURY  TO  LORD  GRENVILLE. 

Berlin,  11th  March,  1794. 

My  Lord, — As  your  Lordship  may  be  surprised  at  not 
hearing  from  me  at  so  very  interesting  a  moment,  I  write 
to  say  that  the  return  of  my  servant  from  Vienna  last 
night,  and  some  very  interesting  conversations  I  have 
since  had  with  His  Prussian  Majesty  and  Count  Haugwiz, 
make  it  expedient  for  me  to  send  a  messenger  in  a  day  or 
two.  Li  the  meanwhile  the  Emperor  persists  in  the  most 
decided  refusal,  without  alleging  any  other  reason  what- 
ever than  that  of  money  ;  and  although  I  am  authorised 
by  Baron  Thugut  to  make  a  kind  of  indirect  proposition, 
so  much  mistrust  is  expressed  at  Vienna  towards  this 
Court,  that  I  despair  of  a  possibility  of  ever  deriving  the 
smallest  advantage  from  any  plan  in  which  their  military 
operations  are  dependent  on  each  other,  and  my  object  is, 
if  possible,  to  hit  upon  one  in  which  by  acting  sepa- 
rately they  may  act  usefully.  It  is  on  this  point  I  shall 
have  the  honour  to  write  by  the  messenger. 

I  have,  &c. 

(Signed)     Malmesbury. 

*  Lord  jVIahiiesbury  writes  a  despatcli  of  this  date,  describing  the  in- 
crcasin"'  jealonsy  and  acrimony  between  the  Conrts  of  Vienna  and  Berlin, 
greatly  to  be  attributed,  cither  to  Lucchesini's  meanness,  or  to  his  French 
leanings. 

t  It  appears  from  Lord  ]\Ialmesbnry's  papers,  that,  finding  his  projects 
constantly  thwarted  by  the  French  party  at  Berlin,  who  were  working  on 
Ilaugwizagainst  us,  he  determined,  if  possible,  to  remove  the  negotiation  to 
tiie  Hamie,  and  cleverly  induced  that  ]\linister  to  originate  the  idea  liiniself, 
by  hinting  that  at  the  Hague  he  would  be  rid  of  all  Austrian  annoyances, 
and  of  the  interference  of  his  rivals  at  Court. 


1794.]  BERLIN.  77 

Wednesday,  March  12. — Dinner  at  Sacken's.  Count 
and  Countess  Reuss  left  Berlin.  Supped  at  Queen  Dow- 
ager's. 

Thursday,  March  13. — At  home.  Ball  at  Prince 
Royal's. 

Tuesday,  March  18. — At  home.  Announced  in  the 
morning  my  going  to  the  Hague  to  Finckenstein  and 
Alvensleben — to  no  one  else. 


Thursday,  March  20. — Went  at  eight  o'clock  with 
Count  Haugwiz  to  Potsdam.  Dined  with  only  four  per- 
sons with  the  King  in  his  new  palace — audience  before 
dinner,  and  settled  the  plan — the  King  promises  more 
fairly,  expresses  his  desire  to  act,  and  detestation  of  the 
French — blames  Austria. 


extracts  of  a  despatch  from  lord  malmesbury  to 

LORD    GRENVILLE. 

Berlin,  13th  March,  1794. 

The  failure  of  this  negotiation  has  thrown  us  back  to 
where  we  were  three  months  ago,  and  we  are  on  the 
eve  of  seeing  the  campaign  open  without  any  determined 
measures  being  taken  to  ensure  the  co-operation  of  this 
Court. 

I  trust,  therefore,  I  shall  be  forgiven  if  I  have  ventured 
to  go  beyond  the  limits  of  my  instructions,  and  taken 
upon  myself  to  deliberate  with  His  Prussian  Majesty  and 
his  Ministers  on  some  other  means  of  ensuring  his  co- 
operation, even  before  I  have  received  His  IVIajesty's  final 
orders  on  the  p^^ojet  de  Convention  I  transmitted  to  your 
Lordship  in  mine  of  the  1 6th  February  by  Heslop  :  but 
I  have  not  committed  myself  in  any  one  specific  point ; 
everything  is  to  be  submitted  to  the  determination  of  my 
Court.    The  great  end  I  have  had  in  view  is  to  save  time, 


78  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [l794. 

by  preparing  the   business   in  order  to  accelerate  that 
determination. 

I  have  acted  on  the  supposition  that  a  powerful  and 
cordial  co-operation  of  the  King  of  Prussia  is  a  most  de- 
sirable object,  and  the  primary  one  of  my  Mission ;  that 
the  Court  of  Vienna  is  irrevocably  decided  not  to  contri- 
bute to  it  in  the  manner  proposed,  and  that  this  Court  is 
as  determined  not  to  consent  to  the  plan,  the  Court  of 
Vienna  being  left  out  of  it.  I  also  venture  to  suppose 
that,  if  this  co-operation  is  still  attainable  nearly  with 
equal  effect,  and  on  nearly  equal  terms  as  those  before 
stated,  it  will  not  be  rejected  by  His  Majesty. 

These  are  the  data  I  have  taken  for  the  ground-work 
of  my  conduct ;  and,  on  their  being  admitted,  the  whole 
of  its  merit  rests.  As  soon  as  it  became  evident  to  me 
that  the  Court  of  Vienna  would  not  subscribe  to  the 
2yrojet  cle  Convention,  I  immediately  employed  my  mind 
in  seeking  the  means  to  substitute,  if  possible,  some  other 
measure  in  its  stead,  which  might  in  a  degree  compen- 
sate for  its  failure. 

I  was  encouraged  in  this  from  the  very  great  eagerness 
His  Prussian  Majesty  constantly  expressed  to  act ;  from 
the  concern  he  showed  at  the  Emperor's  refusal ;  and  from 
the  confidential  manner  in  which  he  conversed  with  me 
himself,  and  with  which  he  directed  Count  Haugwiz  (the 
favourite  and  only  acting  Minister)  to  treat  me. 

I  found  both  the  King  and  his  Minister  disposed  to 
listen  to  anything  I  had  to  suggest  and  very  ready  to 
enter  into  any  engagements  with  Great  Britain  and 
Holland. 

I  had,  however,  in  the  course  of  these  conversations  a 
very  difficult  part  to  support;  as,  although  I  had  to  agree 
with  them  that  we  were  not  to  reckon  any  longer  on  the 
Court  of  Vienna  as  on  a  contributing  party  in  the  parti- 
cular measure  on  which  we  were  debating,  yet  it  was  not 
for  me  to  lose  sight  of  the  immediate  interests  of  that 
Court ;  and  that,  although  I  could  not  but  admit  it  was 
separated  from  us  in  this  distinct  point,  I  was  not  to 
forget,  for  an  instant,  that  it  was  intimately  connected 
with  us  on  all  others ;  that  it  made  a  very  important, 


1794.]  BERLIN.  79 

very  sincere,  and  verj  powerful  branch  of  the  Coalition, 
and  that  the  same  regard  and  care  was  to  be  maintained 
for  its  safety,  honour,  and  interests,  as  if  it  had  acquiesced 
cordially  in  the  Convention. 

By  perpetually  repeating  to  the  King  of  Prussia  that 
there  could  not,  in  the  nature  of  things,  exist  any  secret 
or  dangerous  designs  on  the  part  of  that  Court,  that  there 
was  nothing  offensive  in  its  conduct  towards  him,  and 
that  the  very  worst  interpretation  that  could  be  given  to 
it  was  a  timid  jealousy  which  ought  rather  to  flatter  than 
anger  him,  I  brought  him  gradually  to  be  in  tolerable 
temper  ;  and  I  should  not  do  His  Prussian  Majesty  justice 
if  I  did  not  say,  that,  when  I  stated  to  him  how  intimately 
connected  the  general  welfare  of  Europe  was  "with  his  not 
appearing  to  be  at  open  variance  with  the  Emperor,  he 
did  not  fully  admit  the  consideration.  It  also  was  as 
fully  admitted  by  Count  Haugwiz,  who  talked  judiciously 
and  reasonably  on  the  subject,  and  who  I  brought  at  last 
to  listen  to  me  with  patience  and  good-humour  when  I 
remonstrated  with  him  on  the  bad  policy,  as  well  as 
impropriety,  of  mixing  up  passion  and  personal  resent- 
ment with  the  conduct  of  public  business,  and  observed 
that  the  gratifying  the  one  was  highly  pernicious  to  the 
other. 

In  the  engagements  which  were  to  be  made  with  the 
Maritime  Powers  His  Prussian  Majesty  proposed  that  the 
force  he  should  bring  into  the  field  should  consist  of 
80,000  men  ;  that  of  these,  20,000  should  be  in  garrison 
at  Mentz,  under  tlie  command  of  General  Kalkrenther,  to 
defend  that  place  and  cover  the  Empire  ;  and  that  the 
remainder  should  be  employed  in  the  way  the  most  ad- 
vantageous to  the  general  cause,  and  the  most  conform- 
able to  the  views  and  interests  of  Great  Britain  and 
Holland. 

After  various  conferences  on  this  subject,  some  with 
His  Prussian  Majesty  himself,  and  others  with  Count 
Haugwiz,  the  detail  of  which  would  swell  this  despatch 
to  a  most  unreasonable  size  without  conveying  any  ma- 
terial intelligence  to  your  Lordship,  I  have  prevailed 
upon  them  to  draw  up  two  projets ;  the  one  stating  the 


80  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [l794. 

subsidy  required  from  England  and  Holland,  the  other 
the  manner  in  which  they  conceive  their  army  may  be 
employed  the  most  usefully. 

In  regard  to  the  new  projet  de  Convention  to  be  con- 
cluded between  the  Maritime  Powers  and  this  Court,  I 
have  laboured  as  much  as  possible  to  lower  their  terms. 
That  I  now  send  is  very  different  from  what  was  first 
given  me,  which  went  to  require,  on  our  part,  bread  and 
forage  for  the  whole  army,  and  not  even  a  semblance  of 
the  expense  allotted  to  the  King  of  Prussia. 

I  am  just  returned  from  a  conversation  with  Count 
Haugwiz  on  this  subject,  in  which  I  went  over  the  whole 
ground  again,  and  the  very  best  terms  I  can  obtain  are 
those  as  they  now  appear  in  the  projet. 

In  regard  to  the  paper,'"  which  contains  a  reasoning  on 
the  operations  of  the  war, — for  it  cannot  in  its  present 
shape  be  called  anything  else, — it  is  grounded  on  the  prin- 
ciple, that,  as  the  defence  of  the  Empire  is  now  to  be  left 
to  a  force  which  is  to  arise  from  within  itself,  the  offen- 
sive part  of  the  campaign  naturally  will  be  carried  on 
on  the  side  of  the  Low  Countries. 

The  King  of  Prussia  has  talked  to  me  very  much  on 
this  subject,  and  expressed  his  readiness  to  undertake  any 
plan  of  attack  on  that  side  we  should  think  proper  to  re- 
commend. 

The  King  of  Prussia,  on  my  dwelling  repeatedly  in  the 
most  forcible  manner  on  the  necessity  that  his  army 
should  not  quit  its  present  station  till  further  notice  was 
given  to  the  Austrian  General  of  its  intended  removal, 
assured  me  positively  that  no  part  of  it  should  stir  till 
the  first  week  in  April. 

It  certainly  would  have  been  more  desirable  that  no 
alteration  whatever  should  have  taken  place  in  tlic  situa- 
tion of  the  Prussian  army  till  such  time  as  I  received  an 
answer  to  this  letter,  but  it  was  not  in  my  power  to 
efiect  this;  and  what  I  have  efiected,  and  what  may  yet 
be  done,  will,  I  trust,  prevent  any  very  great  evil  arising 
from  the  orders  the  King  of  Prussia  has  given. 

*  Inclosed,  and  to  the  effect  here  described  by  Lord  IM.  himself. 


1794.]  BERLIN.  81 

The  result  of  all  I  have  written  is,  that  from  the 
inability  of  Austria  to  comply  with  the  plan  proposed, 
a  new  one  is  brought  forward  to  be  agreed  to  between 
Great  Britain  and  Holland  on  one  part,  and  the  King  of 
Prussia  on  the  other,  by  which  the  number  of  men  to  be 
given  will  be  reduced  one-fifth  (from  100,000  to  80,000 
men),  —  I  do  not  speak  of  rank  or  file  in  either  case, 
— and  one-fourth  abated  of  the  sum  originally  required. 
Of  these  80,000  men,  20,000  men  are  for  the  present 
to  remain  as  the  succours  due  to  the  Court  of  Vienna 
by  treaty,  and  the  rest  to  be  at  the  disposition  of 
the  Maritime  Powers,  to  act  on  the  side  of  the  Low 
Countries. 

In  this  new  arrangement,  the  proportion  of  the  force  to 
be  given  to  that  of  the  subsidy  required,  is  somewhat 
more  advantageous  than  in  the  first  plan,  as  we  shall 
have  7.50,000/.  to  pay,  instead  of  800,000/.  The  20,000 
men  making  the  Austrian  succours,  were  always  reckoned 
in  the  number  the  King  of  Prussia  was  to  supply ;  and 
although  this  corps  for  the  moment  is  to  remain  at  Mentz 
(and  it  is  highly  essential  that  it  should),  yet  I  should 
suppose  that  if  required,  the  Court  of  Vienna  would  not 
refuse  to  let  it  (as  a  body  of  auxiliaries  belonging  to  them, 
and  for  which  they  were  to  supply  bread  and  forage)  act 
with  the  other  60,000  men,  and  by  that  means  keep 
the  Imperial  and  Prussian  armies  entirely  distinct  from 
each  other,  which  experience  has  taught,  is  a  circum- 
stance on  which  the  event  of  the  campaign  will  probably 
depend. 

The  bread  and  forage  to  be  supplied  by  us  and  the 
Dutch,  I  should  by  all  means  recommend  to  he  paid  for  in 
money,  and  not  furnished  in  kind.  If  the  latter  method 
was  adopted,  endless  confusion  and  dispute  would  inevit- 
ably ensue. 

The  King  of  Prussia  himself  will  be  with  this  army, 
although  the  direction  of  it  would  be  left  to  Marshal 
Mollendorf. 

It  may  be,  perhaps,  said  in  favour  of  this  plan,  as  pre- 
ferable to  the  other,  that  by  bringing  the  greater  force 
nearer  us,  it  will  ensure  not  only  the  safety  of  Holland 

VOL.  III.  G 


82  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE,  [l794. 

and  the  Austrian  Netherlands,  but  also  open  a  very  fair 
and  reasonable  prospect  of  success  and  conquests  on  that 
side. 

The  protection  of  these  countries  is  certainly  more 
material  to  us,  and  would  be  better  understood  by  the 
nation,  than  that  of  the  empire  on  the  side  of  Suabia  and 
Franconia,  and  any  conquests  made  in  French  Flanders 
would  certainly  give  greater  pleasure,  and  be  considered 
as  more  for  our  purpose  than  on  the  distant  provinces  of 
Lorraine  and  Alsatia. 

These  advantages,  however,  and  every  possible  benefit 
which  could  arise  from  this  measure,  depends  entirely  on 
its  being  concluded  on  in  time. 

It  required  no  arguments  of  mine  to  make  these  felt 
by  His  Prussian  Majesty,  but  I  was  much,  and,  I  must  say, 
agreeably  surprised,  when  on  Friday  last  he  sent  me  word 
from  Potsdam,  that  with  this  impression  strong  on  his 
mind,  he  had  come  to  a  resolution  (provided  I  was  ready 
to  subscribe  to  it)  to  order  Count  Haugwiz  to  go  with  me 
to  the  Hague,  and  to  give  him  full  powers  to  negotiate 
and  terminate  the  transaction  there.  His  Prussian  Ma- 
jesty added,  that  the  treating  with  this  minister  would  be 
the  same  as  if  I  treated  with  him,  and  that  from  the 
proximity  of  Holland  to  England,  as  well  as  to  the  route 
his  army  was  taking,  much  very  valuable  time  would  be 
saved  in  the  execution  of  the  orders  by  the  Hague  being 
made  the  seat  of  the  negotiation  and  decision. 

I  am  free  to  confess,  my  Lord,  that  I  did  not  hesitate 
a  moment  in  acceding  to  this  proposal,  which,  while  it 
carried  with  it  so  pleasing  a  proof  of  His  Prussian  Ma- 
jesty's sincerity,  is  attended  with  so  many  circumstances 
favourable  to  the  business  itself. 

It  is  a  most  advantageous  consideration  the  having  to 
do  with  Count  Haugwiz  alone.  I  have  acquired  the  habits 
of  doing  business  with  this  Minister,  and  he  is  certainly 
a  character  more  to  be  depended  on  than  either  of  the 
other  two.  Count  Finckenstein  is  superannuated,  and 
Baron  d'Alvensleben,  though  with  little  or  no  influence,  is 
as  adverse  as  possible  to  the  war,  and  I  am  told  his  lean- 
ings and  opinions  are  very  different  to  tliose  that  ought  to 


1794.]  BERLIN.  83 

belong  to  the  minister  of  a  great  Sovereign  ;  and  it  is  im- 
possible for  Count  Haugwiz,  while  he  is  here,  to  carry  any 
measure  through,  without  previously  communicating  it  to 
them. 

I  am  also  well  pleased  to  be  relieved  myself  from  my 
colleagues  on  this  occasion,  for  although  I  certainly  have 
not  any  reason  to  complain  either  of  the  zeal  or  abilities 
of  Count  Lehrbach,  or  Baron  de  Reede,  yet  I  by  no 
means  receive  from  them  that  satisfactory  and  judicious 
support  I  am  certain  of  finding  in  the  assistance  and 
advice  of  Mons.  Vander  Spiegel.  To  this  may  be  added 
the  not  being  exposed  to  the  great  and  active  curiosity  of 
all  the  Foreign  Ministers  here,  and  the  effects  of  their 
idle  reports,  in  consequence  of  what  they  collect,  either 
from  the  corruption  or  extreme  carelessness  of  the  dif- 
ferent offices,  which  render  it  next  to  impossible  for  any 
secret  to  be  kept. 

In  short,  my  Lord,  in  every  point  of  view  the  negotia- 
tion will  certainly  go  on  with  more  safety  and  expedition 
at  the  Hague  than  here. 

Our  departure  is  to  be  a  profound  secret;  we  are  to 
join  the  King  at  Potsdam,  and  begin  our  journey  from 
thence.  It  is  not  to  be  told  to  any  of  the  King's  Minis- 
ters; and  to  prevent  any  suspicion.  Count  Haugwiz's  full 
powers  will  be  made  out  after  he  is  gone,  and  sent  after 
him. 


Friday,  March  21. — Our  departure  postponed.     Dined 
with  Bishopswerder.     Supped  with  Manstein. 


Saturday,  March  22. — Craig  with  the  King.  King  re- 
fused to  lend  any  of  his  troops.'"'  Dinner  with  Haugwiz. 
East  the  messenger  arrives.  Fresh  proposals  f — rejected. 
Our  journey  fixed  for  the  next  day. 

*  The  Duke  of  York  had  asked,  through  Col.  Craig,  as  a  personal  favour, 
for  4000  light  troops. 

t  By  a  despatch  which  crossed  Lord  Malmesburj^'s,  containing  his  projet 
of  the  13th,  Lord  Grenville  offers  that  England  shall  take  into  her  service 

G   2 


84  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [1794. 

Sunday,  March  23.— Re-despatched  East.  Col.  Craig 
departs.  We  set  out  at  one  p.m.— reach  Rathenan,  eight 
miles,  in  ten  hours. 


Monday,  March  24.— To  ^'  ^'  ^'  "'  — twelve  miles  in 
eighteen  hours. 


Tuesday,   March  25 — To  Burgsdorff — nine   miles   in 
fourteen  hours. 


Wednesday,  March  26. — To  Salingen,  eleven  miles  and 
a  half  in  fourteen  hours — pass  through  Hanover — much 
improved. 

Thursday,  March  27.^To  Osnabruck,  nine  miles  and 
a  half — thirteen  hours. 


Friday,  March  28. — To  Delden — twelve  miles  in  nine- 
teen hours  and  a  half. 


Saturday,  March  29. — To  Voorthi^en— eight  miles 
and  a  half  in  fifteen  hours. 


Sunday,  March  30. — The  Hague— ten  miles  and  a  lialf 
in  sixteen  hours.  We  found  the  roads  excellent  every- 
where, very  decent  inns,  and  good  treatment.  We  had 
twenty-two  horses  at  each  post.  I  lodged  at  the  "  Heeren 
Logement,"  at  the  Hague. 

30,000  Prussian  troops  for  a  subsidy  of  one  million  per  annum,  and  in- 
structs Lord  Miilincsbury  to  make  this  the  ultimatum  ;  but  although  the 
King  of  Prussia  rejects  the  proposal,  Lord  Malmesbury,  hoping  to  cany  his 
piojrl  of  the  13th,  leaves  the  negotiation  still  open. 


1794.]  BERLIN.  85 

Monday,  March  31. — Grand  Pensionary  —  opened  the 
business  to  him — told  him  that  I  had  prevailed  on  Haug- 
wiz  to  stop  the  return  of  the  Prussian  troops  till  further 
orders."^'  Dined  at  Court — most  graciously  received  by 
everybody— much  conversation  with  Princess  and  Prince 
of  Orange, 


EXTRACTS  OF  A  DESPATCH  FROM  LORD  GRENVILLE  TO  LORD 

MALMESBURY. 

Downing  Street,  28th  March,  1794, 

Your  Lordship's  despatch  of  the  13th  Alarch,  with  its 
enclosures,  was  received  here  on  the  22nd  instant,  and  has 
since  been  under  the  most  serious  consideration  of  His 
Majesty's  confidential  servants. 

Nothing  can  have  been  more  proper  than  your  Lord- 
ship's having  entered,  as  far  as  could  be  done  without 
committing  your  Court,  into  the  discussion  of  the  means 
of  securing  the  limited  co-operation  of  Prussia,  after  the 
more  extensive  plan  had  failed ;  and  you  will  since  have 
perceived  how  much  your  ideas  accorded  with  those 
adopted  here  on  that  occasion,  particularly  with  respect 
to  the  conciliating  as  far  as  possible  the  views  and  dispo- 
sitions of  the  two  great  German  Powers,  although  the 
uniting  them  in  one  plan  in  the  manner  proposed,  from 
hence  was  found  impracticable.  The  interest  which  all 
Europe  has  in  the  union  of  the  principal  Powers  engaged 
against  France,  is  certainly  such  as  to  make  it  desirable 
that  much  should  be  passed  over,  and  much  conceded  to 
so  important  a  point;  and  the  impressing  the  King  of 
Prussia  with  this  sentiment,  is  perhaps  of  all  others  the 
most  important  object  in  the  present  moment. 

The  King's  servants  entertain  some  hope  from  the  cir- 
cumstance of  His  Prussian  Majesty  having  proposed  to 
remove  the  negotiation  to  the  Hague,  that  the  present  im- 
pression of  His  Prussian  Majesty's  mind  may  not  be  un- 
favoura])le  to  His  Majesty's  views ;  but  they  cannot  conceal 

*  On  pain  of  breaking  off  all  further  negotiations. 


86  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [1794. 

from  themselves  that  there  are  still  many  circumstances  of 
a  suspicious  nature,  and  that  on  the  whole  great  caution 
must  be  had  as  to  any  reliance  which  is  to  be  j^laced  on 
the  present  assurances.  Your  Lordship's  conduct  in  assent- 
ing to  the  proposal  for  this  removal,  is  entirely  ap2)roved ; 
and  it  is  highly  satisfactory  to  me  that  this  circumstance 
will  so  much  facilitate  the  means  of  my  communicating 
with  your  Lordship  on  this  interesting  business.  I  trust 
that  I  shall  hear  by  the  next  mail  of  your  Lordship's 
arrival  at  the  Hague,  where  your  business  will  also  be 
facilitated  by  the  presence  of  the  King's  ambassador  to 
their  High  Mightinesses,  with  whom  I  had,  before  receiv- 
ing your  Lordship's  letter,  taken  the  necessary  steps  for 
his  immediate  departure. 

To  the  pecuniary  part  of  the  projet,  stated  to  you  by 
Count  Haugwiz,  no  objection  will  therefore  be  made  on 
His  Majesty's  part;  and  I  trust  it  will  not  be  found  im- 
practicable to  induce  the  Republic  to  accede,  on  the  con- 
sideration which  I  shall  have  occasion  to  state  in  the 
course  of  this  despatch  particularly,  as  any  considerable 
reduction  in  the  expense  of  bread  and  forage  would  bring 
their  contribution  down  to  very  little  more  than  the  sum 
to  which  they  have  already  shewn  a  willingness  to  accede. 

But  with  respect  to  the  form  of  the  transaction,  two 
points  occur  which  appear  material. 

The  paying  by  retrospect  for  three  months,  which  have 
already  elapsed,  and  for  another  month,  which  may  possi- 
bly elapse  before  the  business  can,  even  in  its  present 
shape,  be  brought  to  produce  its  full  effect,  and  during 
all  which  time  the  Prussian  troops  have  been  in  no  re- 
spect at  the  disposition  of  the  ]\Iaritime  Powers,  or  even 
employed  in  concert  ^vith  them,  appears  very  objection- 
able. 

Witli  respect  to  the  j\Iilitary  Paper,  no  considerable 
objection  is  felt  here  to  the  destination  there  proposed  for 
the  Prussian  army ;  but  as  this  point  cannot,  of  course,  be 
matter  of  public  treaty,  it  may  be  sufficient  to  express  in 
the  Convention,  that  the  troops  furnished  as  the  contin- 
gent, or  subsidized  b)/  the  Maritime  Powers,  are  to  act  in 
the  Lotu  Countries,  and  that  a  Concert  shall  immediately 


1794.]  BERLIN.  87 

be  entered  into  on  that  subject  respecting  the  most 
effectual  mode  of  carrying  on  operations  against  the  com- 
mon enemy.  As  a  part  of  such  secret  Concert,  His  Ma- 
jesty woukl  be  quite  content  to  abandon  the  idea  of  re- 
quiring the  Prussian  troops  actually  to  join  his  army  in 
Flanders,  provided  that  the  arrangement  is  adopted  for 
their  acting  in  one  army  on  the  side  of  Namur.  If  you 
find  that  it  would  facilitate  the  conclusion  of  this  business, 
that  it  should  be  understood  that  His  Prussian  Majesty 
should  himself  be  at  the  head  of  that  army,  no  objection 
could  arise  to  this  idea  from  hence,  and  you  will  of  course 
express  to  His  Prussian  Majesty  in  proper  terms,  the  just 
sense  which  the  King  entertains  of  the  advantage  which 
the  cause  would  derive  from  His  Prussian  Majesty's  pre- 
sence and  personal  exertions.  It  is,  however,  evident, 
that  the  precise  regulation  of  the  operations  and  desti- 
nation of  the  Prussian  force  must  require  concert  with  the 
Austrian  Generals,  and  this  is  greatly  facilitated  by  the 
removal  of  the  negotiation  to  the  Hague.  It  is  therefore 
material  that  no  time  should  be  lost  in  bringing  to  a  con- 
clusion the  other  parts  of  the  negotiation,  which,  from 
these  instructions,  I  flatter  myself  you  will  be  enabled  to 
do,  with  no  other  delay  tha,n  must  arise  from  the  share 
the  Dutch  Ministers  are  to  have  in  it  ;  but,  in  this  point 
of  view  also,  I  am  not  ignorant  of  the  great  advantage 
which  the  business  will  derive  from  your  Lordship's 
knowledge  of  the  persons  and  Government  with  whom 
this  matter  is  to  be  settled  at  the  Hague,  and  from  your 
long  experience  of  the  manner  of  doing  business  there. 

It  is,  however,  likely,  that  the  necessity  of  the  concur- 
rence of  the  Republic  in  these  measures,  and  the  delay 
which  must  arise  on  this  account  may  give  sufficient  time 
for  your  transmitting  here  for  approbation,  previous  to 
actual  signature,  any  jyrojet  on  which  you  may  ultimately 
agree  with  Count  Haugwiz  ;  and  on  an  occasion  of  such 
extreme  delicacy  and  importance,  this,  if  it  can  be  done 
without  incurring  the  mischief  of  delay,  would  certainly 
be  more  satisfactory  to  your  Lordship,  as  well  as  to  the 
King's  servants.  But  if  you  are  of  opinion  that  any 
hazard  would  arise  from  this,  the  King  would  rely  with 


88  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [1794. 

confidence  on  your  Lordship's  known  abilities  and  expe- 
rience, and  you  are  at  full  liberty  to  conclude  on  the 
principle  of  these  instructions  without  further  reference 
home. 


Tuesday,  April  1. — Writing.  Visits.    Dined  at  Keller's. 
Pensionary  and  Haugwiz  after  dinner. 


"Wednesday,  ArRiL  2. — Walked.    Dined  at  Alva's. 


Thursday,  April  3. — Pensionary  and  Greffier—projet 
de  Traite.  Dined  with  Elliot — circle.  Little  supper  at 
Court. 


Saturday,  April  5. — I  send  projet  de  Traite  to  Eng- 
land. Walk.  Dinner  and  supper  with  the  hereditary  Prin- 
cess— she  handsome  and  i)leasant,  but  pale — her  Court 
well  served — she  inhabits  la  Vieille  Cour. 


Sunday,  April  6. — Pensionary  at  twelve.  Dine  at  home 
Dne.     Visit  concert  at  Court — s^ 
talk  at  supper  with  the  Princess. 


alone.     Visit  concert  at  Court — some  Emigres  sing — much 


Monday,  April  7. — Walk  with  Haugwiz.  Dine  at 
Archil)ald  Hope's.  Supper  at  Keller's — bad  society — Jaco- 
bin style — she  prcttyish. 


Tuesday,  April  8. — Greffier.  Projet  of  separate  con- 
vention with  Holland.  Greffier  calls  on  me — dine  with 
him — a  family  dinner.  Concert  at  Lady  M.  Reedo's — 
court  there — stay  late. 


1794.]  BERLIN.  89 


EXTKACT    OF    A    DESPATCH    FROM    LORD    MALMESBURY    TO 

LORD    GREIS^VILLE. 

Hague,  8th  April,  1794. 

The  alarms  at  JVIanheim,  Mentz,  Frankfort,  and  all 
along  the  Rhine,  on  the  idea  that  the  King  of  Prussia 
was  either  going  to  separate  entirely  from  the  Con- 
federacy, or  to  remove  his  army  from  that  neighbourhood, 
pass  all  description. 

I  have  no  doubt  of  the  reality  of  the  fears  of  the  in- 
habitants in  general,  and  it  would  be  unreasonable  to  say 
they  are  wholly  groundless ;  but  I  am  satisfied  that  there 
is  a  description  of  men  in  the  three  towns  I  have  men- 
tioned above,  who  make  it  their  business  to  raise  and  in- 
crease these  fears,  by  every  possible  exaggeration  of  the 
danger.  I  do  not  mean  to  include  the  Martial  Mollen- 
dorff  in  this  number.  He  is  a  man  of  an  honourable, 
open,  and  upright  character,  but  is  of  an  easy  temper  ; 
and  most  of  those  who  surround  him  have  their  particu- 
lar interests  and  designs  in  view  in  impressing  his  mind 
with  opinions,  which  would  be  very  different  if  it  was 
left  to  its  own  natural  operation. 

The  persons  I  particularly  allude  to  (besides  many  in- 
ferior ones  whose  names  would  be  unknown  to  your  Lord- 
ship) are  Count  Sclmlenhurg  and  General  Kalkreuther, 
whom  I  know  oppose  to  the  utmost  all  we  are  doing  here, 
and  who  are  attempting  to  make  the  Marshal  MollendorfF, 
and  through  him  the  King  of  Prussia,  believe  that  his 
army  is  averse  to  serve  in  the  Loav  Countries, 

Count  Haugwiz,  confident  of  his  own  strength,  and 
secure  of  the  King  his  master's  favour,  apprehends  no 
danger,  nor  even  inconvenience,  from  this  quarter.  I  am 
not  quite  so  easy  about  it,  and  wait  with  great  impatience 
an  answer  to  the  letters  he  has  written  on  this  subject  to 
Potzdam. 

The  chasseur  despatched  by  Count  Haugwiz  on  the 
31st  March,  with  orders  to  stop  the  retreat  of  the 
Prussian  army,  returned  here  to  day  ;  the  order  appears 
to  have  given  great  pleasure  to  Marshal  JMollendorff,  who 


9U  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [l794. 

writes  word  that  everything  is  now  quiet  and  safe,  and 
that  he  will  be  responsible  that  no  impression  shall  be 
made  by  the  enemy  on  the  side  of  the  Rhine,  as  long  as 
his  army  holds  its  present  post.  He  presses,  however, 
the  necessity  of  losing  no  time. 


Thursday,  April  10. — Dined  at  Kalitcheif's.  Supped 
at  Lady  Athlone's — the  Court  and  the  Princess  of  Hesse 
Homburg  there. 

On  the  1 7th  I  received  the  j(?ro;V1!  of  the  two  Treaties 
approved,  and  although  the  18th  was  Good  Friday,  and  the 
19th  Saturday  in  Passion  week,  I  had  influence  enough 
to  assemble  the  States  General,  and  get  them  to  approve 
the  treaties,  and  to  give  full  powers  to  the  Pensionary 
and  Greffier,  and  we  signed  them  on  the  afternoon  of 
Saturday  the  19th  April,  in  the  apartment  where  the 
"  Besogue  Secrete  "  meets.  I  despatched  the  same  even- 
ing a  messenger  with  them  to  England.  I  remained  at 
the  Hague  till  Friday,  April  2.5th,  when,  in  consequence 
of  instructions  from  Lord  Grenville,  I  went  through 
Brussels  and  Flushing  to  England. 


EXTRACT    OF    A    DESPATCH    FROM    LORD    MALMESBURY    TO 

LORD    GRENVILLE. 

Hague,  19tli  April,  1794. 

Shaw  delivered  me  your  Lordship's  despatches  of  the 
14th  instant  on  Wednesday  the  16th  at  noon,  and  I  now 
redespatched  him  with  the  Treaty  between  His  Majesty 
and  the  States  General  on  the  one  part,  and  the  King  of 
Prussia  on  the  other,  as  well  as  with  tlie  Convention 
between  His  Majesty  and  the  States  General,  duly  signed 
and  executed  by  the  several  contracting  parties.  I  trans- 
mit, at  the  same  time,  the  separate  Article  signed  be- 
tween His  Majesty  and  the  King  of  Prussia,  which  relates 
to  the  renewal  of  the  Treaty,  and  also  copies  of  notes 
which  have  [)assed  between  me  and  Count  Haugwiz,  and 


1794.]  BERLIN.  91 

between  me  and  the  Pensionary  and  Greffier  on  these 
subjects. 

All  these  instruments  were  signed  about  an  hour  ago, 
in  the  apartment  where  the  Secret  Committee  of  the 
States  General  usually  meet. 

It  was  a  matter  of  no  small  difficulty  to  get  this  busi- 
ness through  so  fast,  not  only  from  the  forms  of  this 
Government,  but  from  its  being  the  Holy  Week  ;  but  the 
moment  Shaw  had  delivered  me  your  Lordship's  des- 
patches, I  waited  on  the  Prince  of  Orange,  and  made  a 
point  with  him,  that  he  should  assemble  the  States  Gene- 
ral yesterday  and  to-day.  Yesterday  for  the  "Besogne 
Secrete,"  to  lay  the  Treaties  before  their  High  Mighti- 
nesses, and  to-day,  in  order  that  their  High  JMightinesses 
should  return  the  treaties  with  their  approbation,  and 
with  full  powers  for  their  Plenipotentiaries  to  sign  them. 

Had  I  not  insisted  on  these  two  extra  meetings  (which 
it  was  no  easy  matter  to  obtain),  notliing  could  have  been 
done  till  the  middle  of  next  week,  as  their  High  Mighti- 
nesses had  adjourned  over  till  then. 

I  tmst  there  is  no  alteration  either  in  the  wording 
or  measures  of  the  treaties  I  have  signed,  which  will  be 
objected  to  by  your  Lordship. 


[This  Treaty  obliged  His  Prussian  Majesty  to  furnish 
an  army  of  62,000  men,  under  a  Prussian  commander-in- 
chief,  to  be  subsidized  by  England  and  Holland,  and  to 
serve  against  their  common  enemies.  This  army  to  be  in 
the  field  by  the  24th  of  May.  The  Maritime  Powers  to 
pay  His  Prussian  Majesty  50,000/.  per  month  to  the  end 
of  the  year,  and  300,000/.  to  put  his  army  in  motion, 
also  100,000/.  on  its  return  home.  All  conquests  made 
to  be  at  the  disposal  of  the  Maritime  Powers. 

A  separate  article  was  added,  to  extend  the  engage- 
ments of  this  Treaty  as  long  as  the  war  lasted,  on  the 
same  conditions.] 


92  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [1794. 


EXTRACT  FROM  A  LETTER  FROM    LORD    MALMESBURY   TO   THE 

DUKE    OF    YORK. 

Hague,  19th  April,  1794. 

I  HAVE  delayed  till  now  acknowledging  jour  Royal 
Higlmess's  letter  of  the  3rd  from  St.  Armand,  in  order  to 
have  it  in  my  power  to  send  you  some  positive  intelli- 
gence relative  to  the  event  of  the  negotiation  with  which 
I  am  charged.  I  hold  it  my  duty  to  be  silent  while  its 
event  was  uncertain,  lest  in  the  very  important  situation 
your  Royal  Highness  holds,  I  should  perplex  and  perhaps 
mislead  you  by  acquainting  you  with  all  the  doubts  and 
difficulties  which  have  attended  its  progress. 

I  have  now  the  honour  to  inform  you  that  about  an 
hour  ago  I  signed  a  treaty  with  His  Prussian  Majesty,  (to 
which  the  States  General  are  a  party,)  by  which  he  stipu- 
lates to  furnish  62,400  men  to  act  in  suj^port  of  the 
cause,  exclusive  of  the  20,000  men  he  is  bound  by  treaty 
to  give  to  the  Emperor. 

I  have  not  time  to  have  this  engagement  transcribed  at 
length,  but  it  states  in  substance  that  an  army  to  the 
amount  above-mentioned  should  act  together,  jointly  with 
a  corps  in  our  or  in  the  Dutch  pay,  and  under  a  Prussian 
commander,  (by  which  is  understood  the  King  himself,) 
where,  and  in  a  manner  which  shall  be  deemed  most  con- 
formable to  the  interests  of  the  Maritime  Poicers ;  that 
this  army  is  to  be  at  the  place  of  its  destination  by  the 
24th  of  May  ;  that  it  is  to  be  supplied  with  everything  ne- 
cessary to  take  out  and  remain  in  the  field  except  batter- 
ing canon ;  that  all  the  conquests  it  may  make  shall  be  in 
the  name  and  at  the  disposal  of  the  ]\laritime  Powers,  as 
well  during  the  war  as  at  the  peace ;  and  that  as  far  as 
possible  its  force  shall  be  effective. 

For  these  conditions,  we  and  the  Dutch  agree  to  pay  to 
His  Prussian  Majesty  a  subsidy  of  50,000/.  a-month,  and 
bread  and  forage  for  the  whole  army  at  tlie  rate  of  ll.  \2s. 
a  mouth  per  month.  We  give  300,000/.  for  the  mohilifi- 
catinn  and  n'tabiissejuenf,  and  100,000/ for  its  return. 

The  Treaty  is  to  last  to  the  end  of  the  year,  but  in  a 


1794.]  BERLIN.  93 

separate  article  I  have  stipulated  that  it  is  to  be  renewed 
at  the  end  of  the  year,  on  the  same  conditions  and  for  the 
duration  of  the  war.  This  was  not  done  now,  because 
the  nature  of  the  Dutch  Government  is  such  as  not  to 
allow  them  to  come  to  any  neiu  resolution  under  several 
weeks,  and  every  hour  now  is  precious. 

Your  Royal  Highness  will  naturally  suppose  Great  Bri- 
tain takes  the  largest  share  of  the  payment.  The  Dutch, 
however,  contribute  handsomely,  and  I  hope  it  will  not 
be  thought  that  they  contributed  too  little,  or  that  the 
King  of  Prussia  has  been  allowed  too  much.  I  am  pre- 
pared, however,  to  be  hauled  over  the  coals  by  my  old 
friends ;  "'^  but  they  have  departed  so  widely  from  their 
former  principles,  that  I  never  expect  that  they  and  I  can 
ever  again  think  alike  on  any  public  subject. 

I  am  despatching  a  messenger  this  moment  to  England, 
with  the  Treaty  executed.  The  moment  it  is  ratified  I 
probably  shall  remove  from  hence,  and  I  rather  hope  to 
Brussels  ;  and  I  need  not  say,  in  that  case,  my  first  wish 
shall  be  to  pay  my  duty  to  your  Royal  Highness. 

Nothing  remarkable  either  in  private  or  public  life  oc- 
curred while  I  remained  at  the  Hague.  I  lived  princi- 
pally at  Court,  or  with  the  Greffier — I  found  him  ex- 
tremely aged  ;  the  Pensionary  growing  infirm,  but  with 
the  same  strong  and  clear  head ;  the  Stadtholder  vastly 
improved  ;  and  the  Princess  nearly  the  same. 


[Lord  Grenville  ordered  Lord  Malmesbury  to  England 
to  give  the  Government  "  general  information  "  respecting 
the  best  means  of  employing  Prussian  troops  in  concert 
with  those  of  Austria  and  the  English  army  under  the 
Duke  of  York.  It  appears  that  this  ill-judged  recall 
contributed  much  to  the  success  with  which  the  French 
party,  taking  advantage  of  treachery  and  national  preju- 
dices, contrived  through  Lucchesini  to  stultify  tlie  Treaty. 
It  is  difficult  to  know  whether  Haugwiz  was  really  honest 
or  not,  (Lord  Malmesbury  thought  him  so  at  the  time,) 
but  it  is  clear  that  when  once  freed  from  the  influence 


*  The  Fox  Whigs. 


94  DIARIES   AND    CORRESPONDENCE.  [1794. 

Lord  Malmesbury  had  gained  over  him,  he  shunned  meet-* 
ing  him  again,  and  joined  in  the  disgraceful  conduct 
adopted  by  the  Prussian  Court  at  the  instigation  of  Luc- 
chesini.  This  corrupt  Italian  Frederick  the  Great  had 
taken  as  his  reader,  and  at  that  King's  death  he  was 
employed  by  his  successor,  who  found  among  his  subjects 
a  complete  dearth  of  all  those  moral  and  intellectual 
qualities  which  should  belong  to  a  State  servant.] 


On  Friday,  25th  April,  I  left  the  Hague  at  half-past 
one,  and  travelling  all  night  got  to  Brussels  the  next  day, 
Saturday  the  26  th,  at  three  o'clock — passed  that  day  with 
Bruce — Lord  Elgin  absent. 


Sunday,  April  27. — At  eleven  with  Merci — right,  but 
Jin  and  cautious — said  he  could  only  give  his  oiun  opi- 
nion— lamented  the  disunion  with  Prussia — blamed  Luc- 
chesini.  On  my  observing  the  Court  of  Vienna  did  wrong 
not  to  flatter  liim,  he  said,  "  It  was  a  Court  that  was  not 
captante!'  He  was,  however,  clearly  for  the  Prussian 
succours.  From  him  to  Thugut — his  figure  mean,  like 
Pollock — his  manner  complimentary,  but  not  communica- 
tive— railed  against  Prussia — talked  quite  oflScially  and 
very  insufficiently.  In  the  evening  at  Madame  ]\letter- 
nich — a  conversation  with  General  Liekendorfi" — his  ideas 
the  same  about  the  placing  the  Prussian  army  as  those  I 
afterwards  had  from  j\Iack. 


Monday,  April  28. — To  Valenciennes — lodged  at  a  Mr. 
Rigan's — excellent  house — Mrs.  Johnstone  there.  Lord 
Elgin  arrived  soon  after  me.  Victory  on  the  26th.  Sir 
W.  Erskine  passing  through  with  the  succours  for  Clair- 
%t.  

Tuesday,  April  29. — Early  to  Cateau  and  Foret  Cateau 
Cambresis,''""  where  the  famous  Treaty  was  signed  and  Tele- 

*  The  Treaty  of  Catoaii  Cambresis  was  signed  in  1559  between  France 
and  Spain. 


1794.]  BERLIN.  95 

maclius  written — is  the  Duke  of  York's  head-quarters — 
he  was  out  on  an  alerte  when  I  came — long  conversation 
with  him.  He  was  very  confidential — said  Lord  Corn- 
wallis  had  been  thought  of  to  replace  him — King  first 
mentioned  it  to  him,  afterwards  Pitt.  He  said  he  would 
do  anything  for  the  service,  but  he  could  not  act  under 
Lord  Cornwallis.  Lord  Grenville  strongly  for  Lord  Corn- 
wallis.  After  dinner  to  Emperor's  head-quarters— for  an 
account  of  what  passed  see  despatches — strange  incon- 
sistency the  next  day.      Called  on  Prince  of  Orange. 


Wednesday,  ArRiL  .30. — Bad  news  in  the  morning  early 
from  Clairfayt — good  at  noon  from  Landrecy — it  sur- 
rendered at  four — lost  my  way  in  going  there — got  to 
Valenciennes  very  late — lodged  again  at  Rigan's, 


Thursday,  May  1. — Dined  at  Tongres — Slept  at  Brus- 
sels. Alarm — French  broke  in  on  Courtray.  Road  through 
Ghent  not  sure. 


Friday,  May  2. — Left  Brussels.  Expected  the  Prince  of 
Orange  at  Antwerp — he  did  not  come. 


jSaturday,  May  3. — Left  Antwerp  early.  Breakfasted 
and  dined  at  Bergen  op  Zoom.  From  thence  by  water  to 
Tervecre. — Slept  in  a  bad  inn — got  there  late. 


Sunday,  May  4. — Early  to  Middleburg. — Dined  tete-a- 
tete  with  Lynden  de  Blytterswyk — much  good  sense  in 
his  talk.  In  the  evening  to  Flushing,  and  at  the  very 
moment  I  arrived  here,  the  vessel  sent  round  to  convey 
me  arrived — also  the  French  Captain  Nerval.  Flushing  a 
neat  town,  and  all  Zealand  a  fine  country. 


96  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [1794. 

MoxDAY,  May  5. — Sailed  at  five  o'clock,  and  got  to 
Margate  at  eight,  and  to  Sittingbourne  at  half-past  one. — 
Slept  there. 


Tuesday,  May  6. — Got  to  London  at  twelve  o'clock, 
and  remained  in  England  till  Saturday,  ]\Iay  24. 

During  the  time  I  was  in  England,  although  j\Iinisters 
had  sent  for  me  over,  they  were  so  fully  employed  in 
their  discoveries  and  examinations  of  seditious  and  trea- 
sonable practices,  that  I  had  very  short  and  very  few  con- 
versations with  them  ;  and,  although  I  constantly  pressed 
their  sending  me  back,  I  neither  could  obtain  any  final 
instructions  from  Lord  Grenville,  or  put  the  subsidy  in  a 
luay  of  being  paid  tdl  tlie  2'^rd  of  May.  I  left  London 
on  the  24th. 

I  was  twice  with  the  King  in  the  closet,  and  found  him 
talking  the  wisest  and  most  spirited  language  possible. 
He  said  he*  thought  the  war  ought  to  last,  as  people's 
minds  were  not  yet  thoroughly  up  to  the  danger,  and  that 
a  premature  peace  would  only  conceal,  not  cure,  the  evil. 
He  recommended  the  bringing  on  the  Prussians  imme- 
diately. Talked  much  with  the  Duke  of  Portland,  Wynd- 
ham,  and  Pclham  —  impossible  to  be  more  right  than  they 
are.  A  likelihood  of  their  all  coming  in.f  I  proposed 
to  Pelham  to  succeed  me,  as  I  meant  to  stay  a  very  short 
time. — He  not  averse  to  it,  but  desirous  to  wait  to  see 
whether  his  friends  would  not  also  come  in.  I  expressly 
told  both  ]\Ir.  Pitt  and  Lord  Grenville  that  I  would 
stay  no  longer  on  the  continent  than  Avas  necessary  to 
complete  what  I  had  begun;  and  that  as  soon  as  the 
Prussian  army  was  at  the  place  where  it  was  to  act,  I 
sliould  expect  to  be  allowed  to  return.  To  this  they 
both  assented. 
I  passed  a  week  in  the  country,  and  found  Mr.  Hooper 


*  It  a]i])eais  from  tlio  Harris  Papers  that  Lord  Grenville  was  ever  for 
prosecuting:  the  war  against  France,  and  opposed  to  all  the  negotiations  for 
peace  which  Pitt  ]iro]iosed  at  diffiTc  nt  periods  subsequent  to  these  events. 

f  They  took  otiiee  on  the  11th  of. Inly. 


1794.]  BERLIN.  97 

very  much  iDroken  indeed.  Durnford""  improved,  and  im- 
proving. Opposition  going  all  lengths,  even  to  resist 
every  measure  proposed  to  discover  and  punish  the  sedi- 
tious. 

[Lord  Malmesburj's  instructions  now  were,  to  accelerate 
as  much  as  possible  the  march  of  the  Prussian  armj  to- 
wards Li^ge  and  Hanover,  and  on  no  account  to  allow 
them  to  be  employed  more  to  the  left  than  the  countr}^ 
of  the  Meuse.  Lord  Cornwallis  to  co-operate  with  an 
English  Force.  The  first  instalment  of  the  subsidy, 
(300,000/.,)  was  remitted  from  the  Treasury,  May  27.] 


Saturday,  May  24,  1794. — At  five  I  left  London,  and 
got  to  Harwich  by  half-past  twelve.  I  found  Madme. 
A'agel  and  Madlle.  Hompesch  waiting  to  pass  over  with 
me  for  the  sake  of  my  convoy  (the  Lark,  Capt.  Rowley). 
He  did  not  sail  till  Sunday,  at  nine,  and  our  passage  was 
bad,  as  it  was  three  o'clock  a.m.  on  Wednesday  the  28th, 
before  we  got  to  Helveot  Sluys.  The  packet  we  crossed 
in  was  called  the  Diana,  Capt.  Deane. 

I  got  to  the  Hague  by  10,  and  called  immediately  on 
the  Grefiier,  then  on  Lord  St.  Helens,  our  Ambassador. 
I  saw  the  Prince  of  Orange  at  three  o'clock — the  Prin- 
cesses all  absent.  I  dined  with  Lord  St.  Helens,  and 
afterwards  had  a  meeting  with  the  Pensionary  and  Gref- 
fier  at  the  country  house  of  the  first.— I  supped  at  Lord 
St.  Helens. 


Thursday,  May  29. — I  dined  with  the  Prince,  who 
gave  a  very  fine  dinner.  He  invited  all  the  principal 
members  of  the  States,  and  not  one  foreigner  but  myself. 
— Supped  with  Madame  Keller. 


Friday,  May  30. — With  the  Prince  in  the  morning. — 

*  Lord  Malmesbury's  place  in  Wiltshire. 

VOL.  in.  n 


98  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [1794. 

Greffier  called  on  me — dined  with  him  in  the  comi try- 
supped  with  Madame  Ricci,  and  wrote  to  England. 

The  result  of  my  conference  with  the  Dutch  IVIinisters 
was  their  agreeing  to  the  propriety  of  the  Prussian  troops 
being  employed  in  the  Low  Countries,  which  the  Prince 
of  Orange  at  first  opposed.  The  nomination  of  Kinckel 
to  reside  at  the  Prussian  army,  and  the  deciding  the 
Stadtholder  himself  to  assist,  on  the  part  of  the  Ptepublic, 
at  our  conferences  to  be  held  at  Maestricht. 

I  found  Lord  St.  Helens  very  friendly,  but  insou- 
ciant as  to  business,  and  not  attentive  enough  for  his 
post.  The  Pensionary  was  unwell,  and  crabbed  from 
illness,  which  Lord  St.  Helens  does  not  allow  for.  The 
Prince  of  Orange  was  uncommonly  right,  and  I  learnt 
from  Count  Keller  that  Count  Haugwiz  expected  me  at 
Maestricht  on  the  30th  ;  I  therefore  left  the  Hague  on 
Saturday  the  31st,  early,  slept  that  night  at  Eindhoven, 
and  got  to  Maestricht  on  Sunday,  June  1,  about  4  o'clock. 
— Count  Haugwiz  had  arrived  the  day  before — I  called  on 
him  at  8  o'clock,  and  found  him  very  uneasy  about  the 
money  not  being  yet  paid  ;  and  although  he  consented  to 
have  the  army  where  we  decided,  yet  he  said  it  was  in 
want  of  so  many  articles  to  be  purchased  by  this  subsidy, 
that  it  could  not  move  till  the  money  was  received. 
This  delay  highly  blameable — Ministers  knew  that  this 
money  would  be  wanted  in  three  months,  and  yet  had 
provided  no  means  of  remitting  it.  I  immediately  de- 
spatched Timms  (on  Monday,  June  2nd,  at  3  o'clock)  to 
London  with  strong  letters  on  this  subject. 

Lord  Elgin,  whom  I  found  at  the  Hague,  came  with  me 
to  Maestricht,  and  returned  to  Brussels  on  Monday,  to 
give  an  account  to  the  Duke  of  York  and  Lord  Cornwallis 
of  what  had  passed.  I  dined  at  home,  and  was  in  the 
evening  with  the  Prince  and  Princess  of  Hesse,  where  I 
supped. — He  an  alarmist  and  complainer,  Governor  of  the 
town. 


1794.  J  BERLIN.  99 

EXTRACT    OF    A    DESPATCH    FROM    LORD    MALMESBURY    TO    LORD 

GRENVILLE. 

Maestricht,  2nd  June,  1794. 

I  GOT  here  yesterday  between  six  and  seven  p.  m.  Count 
Haugwiz  had  arrived  the  preceding  evening.  Dressins, 
with  your  Lordship's  despatch  of  the  28th  ult.,  and  its 
several  enclosures,  overtook  me  about  twenty  miles  from 
this  place.  I  did  not  lose  a  moment  in  entering  with  the 
Prussian  JMinister  on  the  important  business  with  which  I 
am  entrusted,  become  even  more  important  than  it  was 
when  I  left  England  from  what  has  since  passed  in  Flan- 
ders, and  from  the  sudden  resolution  taken  by  the  Em- 
peror of  returning  to  Vienna. 

I  found  Count  Haugwiz  apparently  in  the  same  senti- 
ments and  same  dispositions  I  had  left  him  in ;  I  thought, 
however,  I  observed  in  him  a  wish  that  the  Prussian  army 
should  remain  on  the  Rhine,  and,  in  order  to  put  an  end 
to  every  possible  discussion  at  once  on  that  point,  I  set 
out  by  telling  him  in  express  terms,  that  it  was  His  Ma- 
jesty's declared  and  decided  intention  not  to  listen  to  any 
proposal  of  employing  the  Pnissians  in  any  other  place 
than  071  some  point  to  be  fixed  upon  between  the  Meuse 
and  the  sea. 

Count  Haugwiz  declared  in  the  most  positive  manner 
His  Prussian  Majesty's  readiness  to  bring  this  army  wher- 
ever the  Maritime  Powers  thought  it  could  be  employed 
the  most  usefully,  and  he  gave  me  the  strongest  assurances 
that  his  eagerness  and  zeal  in  the  cause  were  invariably 
the  same;  that  therefore  he  could  assure  me  that  the 
army  should  be  brought  as  soon  as  possible  to  the  point  I 
had  mentioned,  but  that  the  money  not  having  been  re- 
ceived at  Berlin  on  the  day  it  was  agreed  to  be  paid  by 
the  Treaty,  necessarily  would  cause  inevitable  delays; 
since  the  army,  though  in  the  highest  order,  and  com- 
pletely effective,  was  without  magazines,  without  a  suffi- 
cient quantity  of  ammunition  and  pontoons,  and  particu- 
larly without  artillery  and  boat  horses;  and  that  these 
articles  from  the  state  of  His  Prussian  Majesty's  treasury 

H    2 


100  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [1794. 

which  he  assured  me  in  the  most  strong  terms  could  not 
supply  a  single  dollar,  could  only  be  purchased  by  the 
subsidy  to  be  paid  by  us  and  the  Dutch. 

Count  Haugwiz  told  me  he  had  no  doubt  but  that  His 
Prussian  Majesty  would  in  a  very  short  time  leave  Poland, 
and  join  his  army  now  on  the  Rhine. 


Tuesday,  June  3. — Letters  from  the  Bishop  of  Liege,  and 
from  the  Prince  of  Wurtemburg,  from  IVIadame  La  Coste. — 
Ilaugwiz. — Received  an  account  from  Jacobi  of  no  money 
being  yet  paid.  He  quite  soured,  re-despatched  his  mes- 
senger immediately,  and  I  wrote  very  strongly  to  Mr. 
Pitt  and  Lord  Grenville  on  this  subject.  Dined  at  home. 
Wrote — ^walked  in  the  evening  round  the  ramparts — very 
pleasant.  I  had  a  very  good  lodging  at  the  Rue  Petits 
Fosses,  at  a  Jew's  named  Meyer  Solomon. 


Wednesday,  June  4. — News  received  of  Charleroi  being 
relieved,  and  the  French  driven  across  the  Sambre.""" 


Thursday,  June  5. — With  Prince  of  Hesse — examined 
the  environs  of  Maestricht  on  a  map,  and  concerted  the 
means  of  joining  the  town  to  the  Generality.  About  ten 
leagues  belonging  to  the  Bishop  of  Li^ge  requisite  ;  from 
-X-  -;;-  -ic  rr  -;:-  ^^  Falkenburg — in  this  district  no  farm  but 
Bree  (a  small  one)  and  a  village  called  Az,  the  rest  heath. 
Walked  with  Haugwiz.  He  said  that  the  ]\Iinister  was 
with  Bishopswerder  doing  great  mischief  at  Berlin,  by  in- 
troducing ncAv  theological  doctrines.  That  they  had 
availed  themselves  of  his  absence,  and  it  was  necessary  he 

*  On  the  14tli  of  j\Iay  hy  the  hereditary  Prince  of  Orange,  after  a  hloodv 
battle.  The  French,  uruhumted,  soon  recros.sed  the  river  and  reconnrienced 
the  siege.  On  the  2Gth  of  June,  tlie  Allies  attacked  them  at  Flenry,  but 
were  completely  routed  and  pursued  to  Halle.  This  battle  established  the 
reputation  of  General  Jourdain,  and  settled  the  fate  of  the  Netherlands.  It 
lasted  thirteen  hours.  In  Flanders,  Moreau  defeated  Clairfait  on  the  17th, 
and  took  V])res.  General  ^\'a!nK>den  evacuated  ]$iuges.  The  Duke  of 
York  was  oldiged  to  abandon  Tomnay  and  Oudenardc  to  tlieir  fate,  and 
retired  upon  Antwerp  on  the  3rd  of  Jnlv. 


1794.]  BERLIN.  101 

should  return  as  soon  as  possible,  in  order  to  suppress 
these  "  abominable  attempts."  He  meant,  I  believe,  the 
doctrines  of  the  Illumines.  Dined  with  Prince  de  Hesse, 
and  sent  away  Messenger  in  the  evening. 


EXTRACTS    OF    A    DESPATCH    FROM    LORD    MALMESBURY    TO 

LORD    GRENVILLE. 

Maestricht,  fltli  June,  1794. 

I  HAVE  not  been  honoured  with  any  commands  from 
your  Lordship  since  I  last  wrote. 

The  Prince  Stadtholder  is  expected  here  to-morrow, 
and  we  shall  then  only  wait  for  the  arrival  of  Lord  Corn- 
wallis,  in  order  to  proceed  on  the  business  which  assem- 
bles us  in  this  place. 

I  have  nothing  more  to  say  to  your  Lordship  on  that 
subject ;  Count  Haugwiz  has  written  to  the  Marshal  Mol- 
lendorff  to  the  effect  he  promised,  but  we  must  not  look 
for  any  advantage  from  what  he  writes,  till  such  time  as 
Mons.  Jacobi  sends  word  that  the  first  payments  are 
actually  made.  It  is  to  no  purpose  that  I  endeavour  to 
convince  j\Ions.  de  Haugwiz,  that  the  money  due  is  as 
much  at  this  moment  the  King  of  Prussia's,  as  if  it  was 
actually  in  his  treasury.  He  remains  inflexible,  and  per- 
sists in  assuring  me  in  the  most  positive  manner,  that  the 
army  has  not  the  means  of  moving  without  this  supply. 
He  adds,  however,  at  the  same  time,  thM  when  it  is 
received,  we  may  depend  on  finding  them  ready  to  act 
where  and  how  we  please,  and  that  the  King  of  Prussia 
is  more  eager  than  ever  to  crush  the  progress  of  French 
anarchy.  I  have  had  several  conversations  with  him  on 
the  present  situation  of  his  own  Court,  of  what  had  passed 
and  is  passing  since  his  absence,  and  on  the  effect  Mons. 
Lucchesini's  arrival  at  Posen  is  likely  to  produce. 

He  adverted  to  -the  principles  of  the  Hlumines,  whom 
(rather  to  my  surprise)  he  spoke  of  with  great  abhorrence, 
— said  they  went  to  destroy  all  good  order  and  subordina- 
tion, and  were  one  of  the  great  instruments  of  the  Jaco- 
bins.    He  would  not  say  explicitly,  that  he  feared  these 


102  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [l794. 

impressions  might  reach  the  Kiug  of  Prussia,  but  he  evi- 
dently intimates  that  it  was  possible  they  would,  if  he 
remained  longer  absent. 

I  confess  I  apprehend  much  less  of  the  effects  of  this 
attempt  than  of  the  presence  of  Mons.  Lucchesini,  whose 
art  and  cunning  is,  I  fear,  more  than  a  match  for  any 
influence  Count  Haugwiz  may  have  acquired,  and  I  shall 
not  be  easy  as  long  as  he  is  near  His  Prussian  Majesty. 


Friday,  Juxe  6. — Chevalier  Puysegur  called  on  me — a 
very  sensible  Frenchman — from  the  beginning  he  saw 
right,  and  still  appears  to  see  right.  His  brother,  the 
Marquis  de  Puysegur,  and  his  wife  and  family,  at  Maes- 
tricht. — Good  people. 


June  7  and  8. — Prince  of  Orange  does  not  come. — 
Sends  me  his  opinion  ; '"'  for  the  Prussians  remaining  on  the 
Rhine!  Lord  Cornwallis  arrives  on  the  9th. — Conference 
with  Haugwiz  the  10th. — Difficulties  about  magazines  on 
the  march,  obviated  by  Brook  Watson.  Major  Tuhl  did 
not  assist  in  these  conferences.  On  the  12th  Kinckel 
arrived  at  Maestricht,  and  on  the  14th  we  left  it.  It  was 
understood  by  myself,  and  also  by  Lord  Cornwallis,  that 
there  was  no  difficulty  as  to  the  march  of  the  Prussians 
towards  the  Low  Countries,  and  for  this  purpose  Lord 
Cornwallis  went  to  Mentz. 


Sunday,  June  15. — Through  Cologne,  where  we  over- 
took Lord  Cornwallis,  to  Bonne. 


Monday,  June  16. — At  home  till  four  p.m. — Conversa- 
tion with  Walstein,  favourite  of  the  Elector  of  Cologne 

*  An  elaborately  written  and  weak  statement,  and  also  a  very  strange  one, 
since  he  liel])ed  to  subsidize  tlie  Prussians,  witli  the  understaudinu:  that  thoy 
were  to  act  in  tiic  Low  Countries.  How  inipossililc  tiiat  any  [ihui  siiould 
succeed  with  men  who,  when  honest,  could  not  see  their  own  interest,  nnd, 
M  lien  interested,  lost  sight  of  their  honour. 


1794.]  BERLIN.  .    103 

— explains  and  blames  conduct  of  Austria.  Slept  at 
Andernach;  17th  June  to  Limberg,  18th  to  Frankfort; 
fine  weather  and  good  roads  the  whole  way.  Hockstetter 
gives  me  a  letter  from  Haugwiz,  to  excuse  his  meeting 
me.  I  receive  an  estafette  from  Lord  Cornwallis  at 
Mayence,  desiring  me  to  come  to  him  immediately,  and 
attend  him  to  Prussian  head-quarters.  He  encloses  one 
from  Marshal  MoUendorff,  which  announces  clearly  his  in- 
tention of  not  moving  from  the  Rhine.  King  of  Prussia 
in  Poland — his  Minister  at  Berlin.  Our  negotiation  be- 
comes difficult — no  one  to  treat  with. 


June  19. — At  Mentz.  Lord  Cornwallis  dispirited.  I 
send  to  Frankfort  for  Ivinckel  to  come,  and  go  with  us  to 
Prussian  head-quarters. 


Friday,  June  20. — We  go  to  Kukheim,  where  Marshal 
MoUendorff  was — our  conference  unpleasant  and  angry — ■ 
Lord  Cornwallis  quite  silent — leaves  all  the  military  rea- 
sons alleged  by  Marshal  MoUendorff  against  marching 
'Without  a  luord  of  reply.  Kinckel  of  little  use,  not 
having  been  at  Maestricht.  The  whole  fell  on  me,  and  I 
had  some  sharp  words  with  the  Marshal  and  Schulenberg. 
The  result,  to  wait  for  orders,  or  return  to  Mentz.  Letters 
from  Pensionary,  to  state  to  Kinckel  the  increasing  danger 
of  the  Dutch,  and  the  necessity  of  having  the  Prussians. 


EXTRACTS    OF    A  DESPATCH    FROM    LORD    MALMESBURY  TO   LORD 

GRENVILLE. 

Mentz,  21st  June,  1794. 

On  Lord  Cornwallis  opening  the  conversation,  by  saying 
he  was  come  to  regulate  with  the  Field  JVIarshal  the  most 
expeditious  and  convenient  manner  of  marching  the 
Prussian  army  towards  Flanders,  the  Marshal  entered 
at  once  into  a  long  enumeration  of  all  the  bad  conse- 
quences which  would  result  to  the  cause  if  his  army  was 


104    .  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [1974. 

to  be  removed  from  the  spot  where  it  was  now  acting. 
On  my  intimating  that  this  point  was  fully  decided  on, 
lie  expressed  his  surprise  and  resentment,  that  before  and 
during  the  conferences  at  ]\laestricht  he  had  been  ke2)t  in 
profound  ignorance  of  what  was  passing,  and  never  re- 
ceived the  most  distant  hint  that  an  intention  of  carrying 
his  army  into  the  Low  Countries  had  ever  existed.  He 
enlarged  very  much  on  the  impropriety  of  this  conduct, 
spoke  of  the  hardship  it  was  for  a  military  man  of  his 
rank  to  be  called  upon  on  a  sudden  to  carry  into  execu- 
tion plans  on  which  he  never  had  been  consulted.  He 
declaimed  with  vehemence  and  bitterness  against  Count 
Haugwiz,  and  was  disposed  (in  which  he  was  supported  by 
Count  Schulenberg  and  Baron  llardenberg,)  to  deny  the 
right  the  Maritime  Powers  had  to  dispose  of  the  army, 
and  to  insist  that  the  Treaty  was  one  of  union  and  reci- 
procity between  the  three  Powers,  and  that  the  King 
of  Prussia  had  the  same  rights  of  opinion  as  to  the  dis- 
posal of  the  troops,  as  either  of  the  other  two. 

I  immediately  silenced  this  unjustifiable  assertion,  by 
proposing  to  them  to  read  the  first  article,  which  conveyed 
so  distinctly  and  precisely  to  the  ]\laritinie  Powers  the  sole 
r'ujld  to  dispose  of  the  troops,  and  left  to  His  Prussian  Ma- 
jesty no  other  than  that  to  concert  with  them  on  the  means 
of  carrying  their  resolution  into  execution,  so  that  the 
Prussian  Ministers,  notwithstanding  their  inclination  and 
ability  to  cavil,  were  forced  to  give  up  this  point. 

Marshal  Mollendorff  spoke  like  a  man  hurt  and  angry. 
Count  Schulenberg,  who  had  worked  him  up  to  this 
pitch,  and  who  supported  him  in  all  he  said,  affected 
to  be  high,  and  at  times  sarcastic.  Baron  llardenberg 
said  very  little.  I  suffered  them  to  go  on  without  any 
interruption  till  they  had  concluded  all  they  had  to  say. 
I  then  observed,  that  for  everything  which  related  to  the 
m'll'iiary  objections,  I  referred  them  to  the  Marquis  of 
Cornwallis,  who  would  well  know  how  to  appreciate  wliat 
he  had  heard,  and  to  distinguish  between  real  and  ima- 
ginary difficulties;  that  in  regard  to  the  IWatu,  and  to 
tlie  sense  of  its  stipulations,  I  must  begin  by  saying,  that 
these   in  the  most   unccpuvocal   and  clear  terms  proved 


1794.]  BERLIN.  105 

that  we,  Ministers  of  the  IMaritime  Powers,  came  there 
not  to  consult  on  measures  which  were  to  be  taken,  but 
to  regulate  the  best  mode  of  carrying  into  execution  a 
measure  already  definitively  agreed  on  by  us  and  by  the 
JMinister  who  acted  in  the  name,  and  with  the  fullest 
authority  any  Minister  ever  enjoyed,  of  the  King  his 
]\laster;  that  therefore  it  was  impossible  for  me  not  to 
observe  that  the  conversation  had  rather  gone  beyond  its 
proper  limits  ;  that,  however,  I  had  too  much  respect  and 
esteem  for  ^Marshal  ]\lollendoriF,  not  to  explain  myself  to 
him  freely  and  confidentially ;  and  that  although  it  was  not 
for  me  to  examine  the  motives  which  might  have  induced 
His  Prussian  Majesty  not  to  have  kept  them  regularly 
acquainted  with  the  course  of  the  negotiation,  I  was 
willing  to  relate  to  him  the  substance  of  what  had  passed. 
I  then  went  through  a  succinct  but  very  faithful  account 
of  the  Treaty,  from  the  time  Count  Haugwiz  and  myself 
removed  to  the  Hague,  to  the  end  of  our  conferences 
at  Maestricht.  I  made  it  clearly  appear,  by  quoting  dates, 
and  referring  to  conversations  I  had  had  at  Berlin  with 
the  King  himself,  that  the  very  basis  on  which  the  Treaty 
rested,  was  that  the  troops  should  be  employed  in  the 
Low  Countries. 

While  I  was  addressing  myself  to  the  Marshal,  Baron 
Kiuckel  (from  whom  I  feel  I  shall  derive  the  most  influ- 
ential services)  took  Count  Schulenberg  aside. 

Baron  Kinckel  then  asked  him  if  whether  as  one  of  the 
most  ancient,  and  certainly  most  enlightened  Prussian 
Ministers  of  State,  he  should  wish,  merely  from  motives 
of  etiquette  and  personal  pique,  to  be  responsible  for  the 
consequences  of  such  a  conduct.  This  language  had  its 
full  effect  on  Count  Schulenberg,  and  when  he  joined  the 
conversation,  I  should  have  been  surprised  at  the  altera- 
tion both  in  his  language  and  manner,  if  I  had  not 
observed  that  my  very  active  colleague  had  been  talking 
to  him.  He  was  no  longer  arrogant  and  sneering,  but 
affected  to  be  biassed  by  the  account  I  had  been  giving  ; 
he  confined  his  objections  to  the  single  point  of  marching 
the  army  through  the  County  of  Luxembourg  ;  argued 
with  great  eagerness  on  the  necessity  of  protecting  llol- 


lOG  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [l794. 

land,  if  either  the  Emperor  was  unequal  or  unwilling  to 
defend  it;  and  seemed  ready  to  acquiese  in  the  idea  of 
moving  that  way,  as  soon  as  the  army  could  be  put  in  a 
state  to  march,  which  they  still  contend  cannot  be  till 
towards  the  end  of  July.  Our  conversation  having  now 
lasted  from  eleven  till  two,  we  were  called  off  to  dinner. 
This  finished,  it  was  resumed  again  with  more  temper  and 
good  humour  than  in  the  morning,  and  the  result  of  it 
was,  that  we  should  each  of  us  write  to  our  respective 
Courts ;  that  in  the  meanwhile  preparations  should  be  im- 
mediately taken  for  making  the  army  mobile,  and  as  to 
do  this  would  require  more  time  than  would  be  necessary 
for  us  to  receive  our  answers,  none  would  in  fact  be  lost 
by  waiting  for  them. 

.This  is  nearly  the  substance  of  our  conference,  and  if 
your  Lordship  adds  to  it  what  Lord  Cornwallis  has 
written  to  Mr.  Dundas,  you  will  be  in  full  possession  of 
all  that  passed. 

The  result  of  this  conference  is  extremely  disagreeable 
and  unsatisfactory,  and  it  would  lead  to  very  alarming 
reflections  indeed,  if,  instead  of  coming  from  piqued  and 
prejudiced  minds,  and  from  persons  who,  acquainted  with 
their  Royal  Master's  easy  temper,  presume  a  great  deal 
upon  it,  it  should,  in  the  end,  appear  that  it  was  carried 
on  from  secret  but  positive  instructions,  or  even  from 
any  well  grounded  reasons  that  it  would  be  supported  at 
Berlin.  But  this  would  be  such  an  outrageous,  and,  at 
the  same  time,  such  a  dangerous  violation  of  every  prin- 
ciple of  good  faith  and  political  integrity,  that  I  cannot 
believe  that  any  man,  even  there,  is  weak  or  wicked 
enough  to  advise  it,  or  bold  enough  to  undertake  it. 

I  despatched  Wiffen  as  early  as  I  could  this  morning, 
with  a  letter  to  Count  Haugwiz,  with  orders  to  find  him 
wherever  he  is.  I  enclose  a  copy  of  it ;  I  could  not  have 
spoken  a  stronger  language  than  I  write, 

I  intend  myself  removing  to  Alanheim  this  evening, 
there  to  wait  for  the  answers  to  the  letter  I  have  written 
to  Count  Haugwiz  and  to  this  despatch. 

I  shall  employ  the  intermediate  time  in  combating  all 
the  idle  dilhculiies  the  Prussians  attempt  to  throw  in  the 


1794,]  BERLIN.  107 

way  of  their  march  ;  and  as  I  feel  the  greatest  anxiety 
on  this  occasion,  your  Lordship  may  rest  assured  nothing 
within  the  reach  of  my  means  shall  be  neglected. 


EXTRACT   OF  A  LETTER   FROM    LORD    MALMESBURY    TO    COUNT 

HAUGWIZ. 

A  Mayence,  ce  21  Juin,  1794. 

MoxsiEUR  LE  CoMTE, — C'cst  avec  beaucoup  de  peine 
que  j'ai  appris  par  la  lettre  que  Yotre  Excellence  m'a  fait 
I'honneur  de  m^envoyer  par  estafette  de  montebaner  en 
date  du  15  courant,  et  qui  m'a  et6  remis  par  Mons.  de 
Hochstetter  le  18  au  moment  de  mon  arrivee  a  Francfort 
sur  le  ]\Iain,  que  des  afiaires  pressantes  vous  appellaient  a 
Berlin,  et  vous  empechaient  pour  le  moment  de  venir  me 
rejoindre  selon  de  ce  que  nous  sommes  convenus  lors  votre 
depart  de  Maestricht.  J'ai  prevu,  Mons.  le  Comte, 
r  extreme  importance  de  ce  cjue  vous  fussiez  present  a 
Tentrevue  qui  devroit  se  tenir  entre  Milord  JVIarquis 
Cornwallis,  et  Mons,  le  Mar^chal  Mollendorf,  et  vous  vous 
rappellerez  avec  combien  de  force  j'ai  appuye  sur  la 
necessity  absolue  cjue  nous  ne  nous  separerions  pas  avant 
que  toutes  les  dispositions  necessaires  pour  accelerer  la 
marche  des  Troupes  Prussiennes  vers  les  Pays  Bas  ne 
fussent  determinees,  de  mani^re  a  ne  laisser  aucun  doute 
que  les  resolutions  prises  a  ce  sujet  dans  nos  conferences 
a  Maestricht  ne  fussent  effectives  avec  promptitude,  et 
conformes  a  I'opinion  unanime  de  tons  ceux  qui  y  ont 
assist^s. 

Le  resultat  n'a  que  trop  prouve  combien  j'avais  raison. 
Milord  Cornwallis,  Mons,  le  Baron  Kinckel  et  moi,  nous 
nous  sommes  rendus  a  Kirckheim,  ou  Mons.  le  iVIar^chal 
avait  eu  la  bout6  de  venir  au  devant  de  nous.  II  fut 
accompagne  de  Son  Excellence  jVIons,  le  Comte  de  Schu- 
lenberg  et  de  Son  Excellence  Mons.  le  Baron  de  Har- 
denberg. 

II  n'est  pas  besoin  de  vous  dire,  Mons.  le  Comte,  que  le 
but  de  notre  abouchement  etait  de  nous  concerter  sur  les 
moyens  les  plus  propres  pour  mettre  en  activity  des 
mesures   d^ja    arr^tees,   et   pas   pour   d^lib^rer  sur  des 


108  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [1794. 

mesures  a  prendre.  Yous  jugerez  done  de  notre  surprise 
lorsque  nous  apprimes  par  Mons.  le  Mar^clial  qu'il  ignorait 
absolument  le  resultat  de  ce  qui  s'^tait  passe  a  Maestricht, 
qu'il  n'avait  jamais  appris  qu'il  fut  question  de  deplacer 
I'Armee  qu'il  avait  I'honneur  de  commander,  et  que  quand 
nous  lui  fimes  part  que  les  Ministres  des  Puissances  Mari- 
times  de  concert  avec  Votre  Excellence,  avaient,  en  vertu 
des  pouvoirs  dont  ils  furent  revetus  definitivement  conclus 
que  cette  Arm^e  devroit  se  passer  avec  la  plus  grande 
promptitude  vers  les  Pays  Bas,  que  Mons.  le  JMar^clial 
nous  a  temoign^  un  eloignement  si  marqu6  pour  entre- 
prendre  cette  marclie,  et  nous  opposoit  tant  de  difficultes, 
que  cela  nous  paraissoit  equivaloir  un  refus. 

Quoique  je  n'aye  ose  compromettre  I'opiniou  de  Sa 
Majeste  le  Roi  de  Prusse,  lorsque  Mons.  le  Comte  de  Schu- 
lenberg  disait  qu'on  ignoroit  a  I'Arm^e  qu'il  avait  jamais 
6te  question  de  placer  TArm^e  Prussienne  dans  les  Pays 
Bas,  il  m'etait  impossible  de  ne  pas  r^pondre,  que  depuis 
la  fin  du  mois  de  Janvier  et  d^s  le  premier  moment  qu'il 
s'agissait  de  conclure  un  Trait6  Subsidiaire  entre  les  Puis- 
sances Maritimes  et  le  Roi  de  Prusse,  il  n'avait  jamais  ^te 
question  d'employer  les  troupes  Prussiennes  ailleurs,  et  je 
n'ai  pu  m'empecher  d'ajouter  ce  que  j'avais  a  plusieurs 
reprises  eu  I'honneur  d'entendre  de  la  bouche  du  Roi  lui- 
meme,  que  Sa  Majeste  approuvait  entierement  cet  em- 
placement pour  son  armee. 

Mais  il  est  inutile,  Mons.  le  Comte,  de  me  reposer  sur 
des  faits  qui  non  seulement  sont  connus  de  vous,  mais  que 
sans  vous  je  n'aurais  jamais  ^te  a  meme  de  faire  valoir. 
C'est  simplement  pour  vous  mettre  dans  le  cas  de  savoir 
avec  la  plus  grande  precision  ce  qui  s'est  pass6  hier  a 
Kirckheim,  et  de  vous  supplier  tres  instamment  d'em- 
ployer vos  lumieres  et  votre  credit  a  concilier  la  conduite 
de  I'armee  avec  le  parti  que  nous  avons  pris  a  j\Iaestricht, 
et  de  veiller  a  I'execution  d'un  Traite  qui  est  votre 
ouvrage,  et  dont  depend  peutetre  le  bonheur  de  I'Europe 
entiere.  Je  suis,  &c. 


1794.]  BERLIN.  109 

Saturday,   June    21. — I   despatch   a   messenger  with 
strong  remonstrances  to  Berlin,  and  another  to  England. 


EXTRACTS  OF  A  DESPATCH  FROM  LORD  MALMESBURY  TO 

LORD  GRENVILLE. 

Manheim,  27th  June,  1794. 

In  speaking  to  Baron  Hardenberg,  I  expressed  not  only 
my  surprise,  but  mj  indignation  at  the  very  extraordinary 
resistance  we  had   experienced   on  the  20th  inst.  from 
Marshal  MollendorfF,   and  those  who  surround  him,    to 
carry  into  execution  a  measure  which  had  already  re- 
ceived the  approbation  of  His  Prussian  ]\Iajesty,  through 
his  principal  Minister  Count  Haugwiz.     I  observed,  he 
could  not  expect  that  I  should  listen  for  a  moment  to  the 
plea  of  ignorance  that  Marshal  and  Count  Schulenberg 
affected  on  this  occasion  ;  for  although  it  was  just  possible 
that  they  were  without  an  official  communication  of  the 
result   of  our  conferences  at  Maestricht,  yet  it  was  no- 
torious they  must  have  learnt  them  from  Major  Fiihl,  who 
was  present ;  that,  besides,  I  knew  beyond  a  doubt  that 
they  had  been  kept  acquainted  with  the  progress  of  the 
Treaty  from  the  beginning  ;  that  they  hieiu  its  meaning 
and  object  as  well  as  we  who  signed  it,  and  were,  in  their 
own  minds,  as  fully  satisfied  that  the  army  was  to  march 
into  the  Low  Countries  six  weeks  ago,  as  at  the  moment  I 
called  upon  them  to  effect  it ;  and  that,  if  I  had  not  this 
moral  certificate  of  their  knowing  it,  the  ingenuity  and 
studied  manner  with   which    they   opposed    this   march, 
would  be  an  indisputable  proof  that  the  proposal  did  not 
take  them  by  surprise,  or  unprepared  ;  that  in  regard  to 
the  military  difficulties  and  clilemma  throAvn  in  the  way, 
they  were  Ijrought  forward  in  a  shape  to  leave  me  no 
doubt  that  they  were  the  effect,  not  of  conviction,  but  of 
repugnance  and  opposition  to  the  measure,  and  such  as 
the  Marshal  would  be  ashamed  to  allege  in  a  cool  and 
dispassionate  discussion  with  a  professional  man  ;  that 
this  was  too  serious  a  concern,  and  one  where,  in  addition 


110  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [l794. 

to  the  great  public  moment,  I  considered  my  own  personal 
reputation  as  so  deeply  committed,  not  to  be  clear  and 
explicit ;  and  I  applied  to  him,  as  to  a  man  of  honour  and 
of  experience  in  business,  whether  it  was  possible  to  con- 
sider what  had  passed  at  Kirckheim  in  any  other  light 
than  as  the  most  artful,  daring,  and  dangerous  opposition 
to  the  King  of  Prussia's  authority,  arising  partly  from 
jealousy  and  envy  of  Count  Haugwiz's  favour,  and  partly 
from  a  strong  predilection  which  prevailed  in  the  army, 
from  no  very  military  motives,  to  remain  where  it  is  ;  that 
I  must  be  supposed  to  be  equaUy  void  of  common  dis- 
cernment and  common  sagacity,  if  I  did  not  see  through 
all  these  motives,  and  know  exactly  how  to  appreciate 
them  in  my  own  mind,  and  how  to  state  them  in  my 
reports  ;  that  I  therefore  addressed  myself  to  him  as  to  the 
only  ministerial  person  to  whom  I  could  speak  here,  and 
requested  him,  as  his  duty,  to  write  immediately  to  the 
King  of  Prussia,  (wherever  he  was,)  to  urge  in  my  name, 
speaking  under  the  direct  commands  of  my  Royal  Master, 
an  immediate  compliance  with  the  stipulations  of  the 
Treaty,  and  conformable  to  the  result  of  the  conferences 
at  Maestricht ;  and  to  state  to  His  Prussian  Majesty,  if  he 
should  allow  his  good  faith  to  be  surprised  by  the  artful 
counsels  and  reports  which  he  would  receive  from  the 
head-quarters  at  Keyserlautern,  the  immediate  conse- 
quences must  be  a  suspension  of  the  Treaty,  which,  being 
a  subsidiary  one,  to  be  made  by  monthly  payments,  it 
would  be  folly  in  the  extreme  for  the  Maritime  Powers  to 
continue  making  good  their  engagements,  while  it  was  in 
d(jul)t  whether  His  Prussian  Majesty  intended  to  act  up 
to  his.  I  told  Baron  Hardenberg,  that  I  need  not  observe, 
besides  the  political  coolness  which  it  would  inevitably 
create,  what  a  disgrace  it  would  be  for  His  Prussian 
]\Iajesty  to  have  received  such  immense  sums  as  tliose 
already  in  his  possession,  and  afterwards  to  liesitate  as  to 
the  part  he  was  to  act ;  that  I  could  not  suppose  this 
possible,  and  that  I  must  consider  the  whole  as  the  eifect 
of  an  intrigue  and  cabal  going  on  in  this  neighbourhood  ; 
and  as  I  liad  no  reason  to  suppose  the  abettors  of  it  made 
any  part  of  His  Prussian  Majesty's  Councils,  or  acted  with 


1794.]  BERLIN.  Ill 

any  degree  of  authority  from  liim,  I  felt  no  scruple  in 
speaking  of  them  in  the  terms  I  had  done. 

Just  as  he  was  making  up  this  letter  (on  AYednesday 
morning,  the  25th  instant,)  he  received  one  from  Marshal 
Mollendorff,  informing  him  that  General  Blanckenstein 
had  sent  an  officer  to  him,  pressing  him  very  eagerly  to 
occupy  the  post  of  Treves,  which  he,  in  consequence  of 
orders  he  had  had  from  Prince  Coburg,  was  obliged  to 
quit,  and  the  i\Iarshal  desired  Baron  Hardenberg  to  make 
Baron  Kinckel  and  myself  acquainted  with  this  request, 
and  to  ask  our  opinion  on  it,  dwelling  at  the  same  time 
very  much  on  the  extreme  importance  of  this  post,  and  of 
the  fatal  consequences  which  would  attend  its  being  neg- 
lected. 

As  I  recollected  that  he  had  been  frequently  solicited 
in  the  course  of  this  campaign  to  take  charge  of  this 
post,  and  that  he  had  constantly  declined  it,  I  immedi- 
ately perceived  the  drift  of  this  letter  at  this  particular 
moment,  and  did  not  hesitate  to  say  (and  Baron  Kinckel 
agreed  completely  with  me)  that  I  protested  against  any 
step  which  went  to  separate  the  Prussian  army,  or  to  em- 
ploy them  in  a  way  likely  to  retard  or  hinder  their  going 
to  the  destination  we  had  given  it ;  but  as  I  was  well  aware 
of  the  importance  of  preserving  the  post  of  Treves,  and 
also  (from  the  situation  of  the  war  in  the  Low  Countries) 
of  the  necessity  of  General  Blankenstein  moving  forward 
with  his  corps,  the  Marshal  might,  if  he  judged  proper,  (but 
that  I  left  it  entirely  for  his  own  decision,)  employ  the 
corps  under  General  Kalkreuther,  which  I  understood  was 
that  destined  to  be  given  as  auxiliaries  to  the  Austrians 
for  this  purpose  ;  but  that  it  was  not  in  my  power  to 
consent  that  a  single  man  should  be  detached  from  the 
62,400  which,  according  to  a  treaty,  were  at  the  disposal 
of  the  Maritime  Powers.  Baron  Hardenberg  sent  this 
answer,  and  I  have  since  learned  that  General  Kalkreuther 
with  6000  men  has  actually  been  ordered  to  draw  nearer 
Treves,  and  had  yesterday  got  as  far  as  Ottweiler. 

It  appeared  to  me  highly  essential  before  I  met  Mar- 
shal Mollendorff  again,  that  I  should  go  to  the  Austrian 
army.     As  soon  therefore  as  I  had  settled  the  points  I 


112  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [1794. 

have  been  just  relating,  Baron  Kinckel  and  myself  went 
to  the  Austrian  head-quarters  :  there  was  no  time  for 
conversation  before  dinner,  but  in  the  evening  Duke 
Albert  took  Baron  Kinckel  and  myself  into  his  closet  and 
called  in  General  Brown. 

Being  thus  in  possession  of  the  sentiments  of  the 
Austrian  generals,  with  whom  I  had  every  reason  to  be 
perfectly  satisfied,  both  as  to  the  manner  in  which  they 
spoke,  and  the  result  of  their  conversation,  I  yesterday 
Avent  to  Keyserlautern  (to  which  place  Marshal  Mollen- 
dorflf  had  removed  his  head-quarters) ;  Barons  Harden- 
berg  and  Kinckel  accompanied  me. 

I  told  the  Marshal  that  I  did  not  come  to  hold  a  minis- 
terial conference  with  him  ;  that  everything  I  could  say  in 
that  capacity  had  been  already  said  on  the  20th,  and  that 
it  was  impossible,  circumstanced  as  I  was,  to  enter  with 
him  again  on  the  discussion  of  a  point  I  considered  as  defi- 
nitely settled ;  but  I  thought  it  right  he  should  be  informed 
of  what  had  passed  the  preceding  day  at  the  Austrian  head- 
quarters, and  be  told  that  there  was  no  opposition  there 
to  the  immediate  departure  of  his  army  from  the  Rhine, 
provided  that  the  corps  of  Auxiliary  Prussians  and  the 
Saxon  Contingent  remained.  On  the  Marshal  saying 
this  would  be  done,  I  observed,  in  that  case,  all  tlie  diffi- 
culties which  we  had  been  taught  to  believe  would  come 
from  the  Austrian  army,  were  done  away,  and  the  argu- 
ments so  often  brought  forward  and  so  strongly  insisted 
upon,  that  the  Empire  would  be  lost  if  the  Prussians 
changed  their  position,  fell  to  the  ground  ;  that,  therefore, 
none  remained  but  those  which  came  from  him,  and  tliat 
as  in  answer  to  these  I  had  to  oppose  a  clear  and  specific 
engagement  taken  between  the  two  Courts,  I  lioped  he 
would  not  consider  it  as  an  inattention  towards  him,  or  a 
want  of  due  regard  to  his  opinion,  if  I  waived  entering 
into  discussion  with  him  on  this  subject,  since  if  it  were 
possible  for  him  to  impress  my  mind  as  strongly  as  his 
own  of  his  being  in  the  right,  it  could  make  no  diiference 
in  my  conduct,  which  was  regulated  by  positive  instruc- 
tions from  which  I  could  not  deviate ;  that  all,  therefore,  I 
had  to  sav  was,  that  as  certain  advice  had  now  lieen  re- 


1794.]  BERLIN.  113 

ceived  of  the  arrival  of  the  600,000/.  at  Hamburgh,  I 
trusted  no  time  would  be  lost  for  putting  his  army  into  a 
state  of  mobilification,  or  afterwards  in  making  it  march 
towards  the  Low  Countries ;  and  that  unless  His  Prussian 
Majesty  had  entirely  changed  his  own  opinion,  and  wished 
to  do  away  the  whole  effects  of  the  Treaty  he  had  con- 
cluded with  the  King,  my  master,  he  (the  Marshal)  would 
in  a  very  short  time  receive  orders  to  this  effect. 

Marshal  IMoUendorff  being  alone  with  me,  and  not 
worked  upon  by  Count  Schulenberg,  and  a  tribe  of  ill- 
disposed  persons  who  compose  the  Prussian  head-quarters, 
answered  me  with  great  temper  and  moderation.  He  per- 
sisted in  his  opinion  that  greater  advantages,  even  for  the 
defence  of  Flanders  and  Holland,  would  be  derived  from 
diversions  he  should  make  by  his  moving  forwards  into 
Lorraine,  than  by  his  acting  in  the  Netherlands ;  but  he 
did  it  mildly,  and  not  with  that  harshness  and  petulance 
he  assumed  in  his  conference  with  Lord  Cornwallis.  He 
repeated  his  surprise  and  dissatisfaction  that  he  had  never 
been  consulted  or  kept  informed  of  what  was  passing  ;  and 
he  would  not  conceal  from  me,  that  he  had  thought  it  his 
duty  to  state  his  reasons,  as  a  military  man,  against  the 
removal  of  the  army  into  the  Low  Countries  ;  that  in 
doing  this  he  had  acquitted  his  conscience,  and  that  it 
now  remained  with  the  King  to  give  him  his  final  orders. 

I  also  requested  Baron  Hardenberg,  whose  conduct  on 
this  occasion  has  been  the  most  honourable,  the  most 
manly,  and  I  hope  will  be  the  most  useful,  to  state  to  the 
Marshal  and  Count  Schulenberg,  in  a  private  letter,  that 
if,  from  the  opposition  they  have  thought  proper  to  make 
to  our  requisition,  they  should  be  able  so  far  to  influence 
the  King's  judgment  as  to  induce  him  to  swerve  from  his 
original  opinion,  and  refuse  to  comply  with  what  he 
stands  so  solemnly  pledged  to  do,  first  by  treaty,  and 
since  through  his  principal  Minister,  that  all  the  respon- 
sibility for  the  many  disagreeable  and  serious  conse- 
quences which  would  inevitably  follow,  would  fall  on 
them ;  that  if  their  Master  should  incur  in  the  eyes  of 
Europe,  the  disgrace  of  having  received  nearly  half  the 
subsidy  he  was  entitled  to,  and  afterwards  not  performing 

VOL.  III.  I 


114  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [1794. 

any  part  of  his  engagements,  this  disgrace  would  be  owing 
to  them ;  that  if  he  drove  the  Maritime  Powers  into  a  con- 
trary system,  and  His  Prussian  Majesty  should  find  him- 
self placed  in  an  isolated  situation,  without  an  ally,'"'  or 
without  any  prospect  (after  what  had  passed)  of  having 
one,  and  if  he  was  to  lose  all  consideration  during  the 
war,  and  all  weight  at  the  peace,  the  fault  would  be 
theirs,  since,  from  my  certain  and  intimate  knowledge 
both  of  the  King's  sentiments  and  intentions,  and  those  of 
his  Ministers,  I  was  sure  this  change  of  conduct  could  not 
be  attributed  either  to  His  Prussian  Majesty  or  his  Minis- 
ter, but  would  be  owing  solely  to  their  representations 
and  to  their  intrigues  ;  and  on  this,  I  entreated  Baron 
Hardenberg  to  request  them  seriously  to  reflect.  He  has 
written  nearly  word  for  word  what  I  have  said,  and  how- 
ever little  effect  it  may  produce  immediately,  it  will  cer- 
tainly be  remembered  by  them  hereafter. 

I  have  now,  my  Lord,  stated  to  you,  I  fear  in  a  tedious, 
but  I  believe  in  a  very  accurate  manner,  everything  which 
has  passed  since  my  arrival  here  ;  and  I  can  most  conscien- 
tiously say,  not  a  single  moment  of  my  time  or  thoughts 
has  been  employed  on  any  other  subject  than  that  of  my 
commission. 

The  conclusion  to  be  drawn  from  it  is,  that  from  the 
weakness  or  negligence  of  the  Prussian  government,  the 
army  here  is  become  an  imperium  in  imperio ;  that  the 
Prussian  head-quarters,  composed  of  a  set  of  men,  some  of 
whom  are  still  the  creatures  of  the  Duke  of  Brunswick,t 
and  others  corrupted  by  the  little  Princes  who  have  their 
possessions  in  the  Upper  Palatinate,  are  all  interested 
to  keep  the  anny  on  the  Rhine,  and  being  uncontrolled 
by  any  superior  authority,  dare  to  speak  their  opinions 
and  support  them  by  every  act  in  their  power. 

Count  Schulenberg,  a  disappointed,  bilious  man,  has 
a  double  motive  for  opposing ;  namely,  the  satisfaction 
of  gratifying  his  personal  spleen  and  ill-humour  by  in- 

*  This  is  exactly  what  happened  to  Prussia  afterwards,  and  till  it  did 
hap])en,  and  she  Mas  in  consequence  crushed  hy  Napoleon,  she  followed 
tlie  same  disgraceful  course  here  reprobated  by  Lord  Malinesbury. 

f  Who  had  thrown  u]i  the  command  of  the  army  in  a  moment  of  pique. 


1794.]  BERLIN.  115 

juring  Count  Ilaiigwiz,  whom  he  detests,  and  the  chance, 
(though  it  is  but  a  poor  one,)  if  he  can  arrive  at  dis- 
gracing him,  of  getting  his  place  ;  and  he  is  artful  enough, 
at  the  same  time,  to  get  popularity  bj  affecting  to  be  the 
patriotic  Prussian  Minister,  treating  Haugwiz,  Harden- 
berg,  and  Luchesini,  all  as  strangers. 

Marshal  Mollendorff,  against  the  integrity  of  whose 
character  there  is  not  a  word  to  say,  but  whose  abilities 
never  were  great  but  in  the  line  of  his  profession,  is  now 
near  seventy ;  his  mind  has  lost  its  energy,  and  standing 
single,  he  is  overruled  and  led  by  the  crowd  of  advisers 
who  surround  him.  Besides  his  being  totally  unequal  to 
combat  with  them  on  political  grounds,  he  is  influenced 
by  the  most  paltry  military  considerations.  His  army 
is  still  in  cantonments,  and  not  a  regiment  encamped ; 
by  these  means  the  tents  are  saved,  provisions  are  spared, 
and  the  troops  preserved,  as  if  they  were  in  one  of  their 
own  garrisons  ;  and,  in  fact,  it  is  impossible  to  see  men 
in  finer  order,  or  who  have  less  the  appearance  of  being 
harassed  by  war  :  this  is  the  real  state  of  the  case. 

Whether  we  are  to  expect  firmness  enough  on  the  part 
of  the  King  of  Prussia  to  resist  this  scandalous  opposi- 
tion, or  whether  we  are  to  suppose  he  will  give  way  to  it, 
will  very  shortly  be  known,  since  the  messenger  I  sent 
to  Count  Haugwiz  will  be  returned  in  a  day  or  two.  My 
letters  to  him,  and  the  strong  representation  I  have  made 
from  hence  through  Baron  Hardenberg,  will,  I  am  certain, 
have  had  as  much  effect  as  anything  I  could  have  said 
had  I  been  with  His  Prussian  Majesty  ;  and,  on  the  other 
side,  if  I  had  not  been  here  to  check  and  resist  the  spirit 
of  opposition,  there  is  not  the  smallest  doubt  but  it  would 
have  gone  all  lengths  and  overthrown  our  Treaty  com- 
pletely. As  it  is,  much  harm  is  done,  and  I  fear,  at  all 
events,  we  shall  never  derive  the  advantage  we  reckon 
upon  from  the  Prussians  in  the  Low  Countries,  They 
will  go  there  unwillingly,  'and  never  afford  a  hearty  and 
sincere  co-operation, 

I  should  feel  myself  undeserving  of  any  indulgence,  if 
I  could  impute  to  myself  the  failure  of  this  great  measure, 
if  it  is  to  fail ;   but  no  experience  or  habits  of  business, 

I  2 


116  DIARIES   AND    CORRESPONDENCE.  [1794. 

no  prudence  or  care,  can  read  so  deep  into  the  human 
mind  as  to  foresee  that  a  great  Sovereign  and  his  confi- 
dential Ministers  would  be  so  regardless  of  their  personal 
honour,  and  so  forgetful  of  their  public  interests  and 
glory,  as  to  refuse  to  be  bound  in  June  by  the  stipula- 
tions of  a  Treaty  ratified  with  their  full  consent  and 
approbation  in  May. 


Sunday,  June  22. — At  Mentz — Lord  Cornwallis  de- 
clines staying  any  longer,  and  returns  to  the  Low  Coun- 
tries. His  presence  certainly  did  no  good,  as  he  was 
perfectly  silent,  and  it  gave  umbrage  to  the  Marshal. 


June  23. — To  Manheim.  Conversation  on  the  ram- 
parts with  Hardenberg.  (N.B. — He,  in  his  despatches  to 
the  King  of  Prussia,  made  this  conversation  ofiicial, 
whereas  it  was  in  fact  only  private.)  I  however  wished 
him  to  write  strongly. 


June  2.5. — Kinckel  and  myself  go  to  Schwetzingen, 
head-quarters  of  Duke  Albert.  Satisfactory  conversation 
with  General  Brown  and  Duke  Albert — settle  everything 
as  far  as  depends  on  them. 


June  26. — To  Keyserlautern,  Prussian  head-quarters 
— repetition  of  the  same  language — great,  but  shabby  art 
and  cunning — ill-will,  jealousy,  and  every  sort  of  dirty 
passion.  The  Marshal  proposes  a  Memorial  to  us,  which 
we  decline  receiving,  and  he  despatches  his  first  aide-de- 
camp, Meyerinck,  to  the  King  of  Prussia,  with  his  account 
of  what  we  had  said.  (N.B, — It  appears  that  these  were 
exaggerated,  and  calculated  to  do  mischief  and  embroil 
the  negotiation.) 


June  28. — Hardenberg  returns  to  Anspach — we  accom- 


I 


1794.]  BERLIN.  117 

pany  him  to  Heidelberg.  From  this  day  to  the  2nd  July 
no  event  except  extreme  heat.  Manheim  dull — dined 
with  Prince  Max  —  called  on  Due  de  Deuxponts,  both 
civil — Abbe  '"'  '"'  *  '-'%  Minister,  (a  French  Abbe,  pimp  to 
the  Duke) — not  unclever,  but  importunate  :  I  was  forced 
to  cut  him  very  short,  and  stop  his  questions,  which  were 
most  indiscreet. 


July  3. — Some  trifling  successes,  greatly  increased  by 
Prussian  accounts.  Kinckel  receives  fresh  instructions  to 
press  the  march  of  the  Prussians,  or  at  least  a  detach- 
ment— these  carry  him  the  next  day  (July  4)  to  Keyser- 
lautern ;  he  sees  the  Marshal,  who  is  less  vehement,  but 
still  refusing  to  march. 


July  6. — Despatch  a  messenger  to  Berlin  with  a  very 
detailed  and  strong  remonstrance  to  Haugwiz,  in  reply  to 
his  answer  to  mine  of  the  21st  June.  His  answer  was 
unsatisfactory  and  weak.  Received  a  letter  from  Harden- 
berg  to  say  he  was  ordered  to  return  immediately,  and  was 
empowered  to  treat  with  us — he  entreats  us  not  to  take 
any  steps  till  he  arrives,  but  this  we  do  not  attend  to. 


EXTRACT   OF    A    LETTER    FROM    LORD    MALJVIESBURY    TO    COUNT 

HAUGWIZ. 

A  Manheim,  le  6  Juillet,  1794. 

Il  ne  me  reste,  Mons.  le  Comte,  que  d'observer,  que  si 
malheureusement  nous  nous  sommes  m^sentendus  sur  le 
sens  ou  le  but  de  notre  Traite,  ou  bien  que  nous  croyons 
que  nos  vues  et  nos  inter^ts  ne  cadrent  plus ;  batons 
nous  de  le  declarer.  Dans  le  choix  des  maux  c'est  le 
moindre  ;  la  nature  de  ce  Traits,  moins  que  tout  autre, 
ne  soufFre  que  1'  accomplissement  de  ses  stipulations  soit 
unilateral  —  et  Dieu  ne  plaise  que  ce  moment  arrive 
quand  nous  devons  nous  embarquer  dans  des  altercations 
sur  la  signification  des  phrases !    moment  qui   nous  re- 


118  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [1794. 

duira  a  nous  glorifier  de  I'affligeant  calcul  des  maux  que 
notre  desunion  nous  causera  reciproquement,  et  nous  fera 
oublier  celui  du  bien  general  que  nous  pouvons  faire  en 
travaillant  de  concert  contre  I'ennemi  commun  avec  les 
grands  mais  differens  moyens  qu'il  a  plu  k  la  Providence 
de  nous  donner. 

II  ne  me  reste,Mons.  leComte,  que  de  vous  dire  deux  mots 
sur  la  pajement  des  subsides.  II  est  impossible  que  vous 
avez  pu  croire  pour  un  moment  qu'il  a  pu  exister  de  notre 
cot^  autre  motif  de  delai  dans  ces  pajements  que  ceux 
qui  necessairement  etaient  attaches  a  trouver  les  mojens 
les  plus  surs  pour  faire  passer  des  remises  si  fortes  dans 
une  ville,  avec  laquelle  il  n'y  avoit  point  de  change  di- 
recte,  ni  un  commerce  d'argent  considerable. 

La  lettre  cy-inclose  vous  fera  voir,  Mons.  le  Comte, 
Fempressement  avec  lequel  nous  chercliions  ces  mojens, 
et  notre  desir  de  remplir  nos  engagemens  de  la  maniere 
la  plus  liberale. 

Cependant,  ]\Ions.  le  Comte,  je  dois  aj outer,  que  je  pre- 
sume que  ma  Cour  jugera  qu'il  convient  de  suspendre  ses 
payemens  mensuels,  tant  qu'il  existe  des  doutes  sur  le 
sens  du  Traite,  ou  sur  I'accomplissement  de  ses  stipula- 
tions. 

(Signe)  Malmesbury. 


Monday,  July  7. — Bad  news  by  a  messenger  from  Low 
Countries. — Kinckel  writes  to  ]\larslial  Mollendorfl",  but 
without  effect.  Nothing  remarkable  for  several  days. 
— Count  Walmoden  with  us. 

On  the  12th  and  13th  July,  Prussians  driven  from  their 
posts — evacuate  Keyserlautern  —  their  reports  of  their 
defeat  as  exaggerated  as  those  of  their  successes.'""  Write 
to  Marshal  ]\Iollendorff  to  know  the  truth — his  answer 
and  that  from  Schulenberg  quite  absurd  ajid  wild. 

*  This  defeat  could  not  be  "  exaggerated,"  althougli  Lord  Malmesbury 's 
sanguine  temper  refused  to  believe  it.  Tlie  battle  lasted  four  days,  and 
gave  the  French  a  considerable  territory,  which  tiie  allies  abanduncd  by 
crossing  the  Rhine. 


1794.]  BERLIN.  119 


LETTER    FROM    MARSHAL    MOLLENDORFF    TO    LORD   MALMESBURY 

AND    BARON    KINCKEL. 

Kaiserslautern,  le  15  Juillet,  1794. 

Messieurs. — Depuis  hiiit  jours  je  suis  continuellement 
a  cheval  sans  avoir  dormi  une  nuit.  L'ennemi  fort  de 
plus  de  150,000  homraes  m'a  attaque  sans  relaclie  et 
avec  furie.  II  a  ete  repouss6  d'abord  de  tout  cote  avec 
valeur ;  les  mallieureuses  circonstances  cependant  qui 
m'ont  oblige  de  rester  sur  la  defensive  tandis  que  j'avois 
occup6  des  pointes  de  montagne  necessaires  pour  entrer 
dans  I'offensive,  mais  tr^s  difficiles  a  soutenir  en  presence 
d'un  ennemi  si  superieur  en  noml^re,  ont  occasionne  que 
ces  memes  pointes  dans  les  montagnes  ont  6t6  emport6 
par  les  Fran^ais.  Ceci  m'oblige  a  quitter  ma  position 
actuelle  et  a  en  prendre  une  retrograde.  Je  compte  done 
encore  cette  nuit  faire  defiler  Tarmee,  Les  aiFaires  de  ces 
jours  ci  ont  6t6  extremement  meurtrieres,  nous  y  avons 
perdu  pass6  500  hommes,  et  du  canon  ;  la  perte  de 
Fennemi  est  certainement  de  plus  de  5000  hommes.  La 
proportion  trop  in^gale  du  nombre  a  seule  decid6  du 
succes.  Voila,  Messieurs,  ce  qu'a  la  hate  je  puis  avoir 
Fhonneur  de  vous  mander  :  de  mon  cot6  je  ne  crains  pas 
d'etre  suivi  par  Fennemi,  il  n'y  a  que  le  Prince  de  Hohen- 
lohe  qui  pourroit  risquer  une  attaque  generale. 

C'est  avec  des  sentimens  tres  distingues  que  j'ai  Fhon- 
neur d'etre, 

Messieurs, 
Yotre  tres  humble  et  tres  obeissant  serviteur, 

MOLLENDORFF. 


letter    FROxM    count  SCHULENBERG  to   lord  MALMESBURY  AND 

BARON  KINCKEL. 

Au  Quartier  General  de  Kayserlautern,  le  15  Juillet,  1794. 

Nous  sommes  sans  equipage,  descendant  de  cheval,  pour 
y  reraonter,  sans  papier,  sans  plumes,  j'ai  prete  Fun  et 
Fautre.     L'armee  ennemie  est  augmentee  a  un  point  in- 


120  DIARIES  AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [l794. 

croyable.  Comme  nous  n'osions  avaucer,  il  a  pris  les 
postes  que  nous  pouvions  prendre  sans  coup  ferir.  Notre 
position  6tendue  a  empeche  de  mettre  a  chaque  poste 
autant  de  troupes  qu'il  aurait  fallu  contre  une  attaque 
furieuse  de  gens  ivres.  Malgre  cela  ils  ont  ete  repousses 
partout  jusqu'a  trois  fois,  mais  revenant  toujours  a  la 
charge  avec  des  troupes  fraiclies  ils  ont  force  enfin  deux 

postes,   celui   de   Schenzel  et  celui  de  Johannis .'"" 

Ses  bataillons,  qui  y  etaient  ajant  repousses  trois  fois 
Tassaut  et  ajant  dimiuue  h  proportion,  furent  incapables 
de  r^sister  au  quatrieme.  L'ennemi  a  prodigieusement 
perdu,  au  moins  cinq  milles  hommes  dans  tons  ces  dif- 
ferens  combats,  Je  ne  connais  pas  encore  notre  perte 
exacte,  mais  elle  est  sensible,  quoique  sans  proportion,  peut- 

etre  six  cents,  et  seizes  pieces.    Le  poste  de  Johannis 

fut  repris  la  baionnette  au  bout  du  fusil,  mais  la  commu- 
nication ^tant  interrompue  avec  le  corps  de  Hohenlohe, 
dont  I'aile  droite  avait  occup6  le  Schenzel,  qui  etoit  force 
par  un  corps  de  vingt  mille  hommes  contre  quelques  ba- 
taillons. Le  Marechal  va  quitter  dans  ce  moment  les 
montagnes  et  prendre  sa  position  prfes  de  Kirckheim,  r^- 
tablira  sa  communication  directe  avec  le  Prince  de  Hohen- 
lohe, et  attendra  I'ennemi  dans  un  endroit,  oii  les  troupes 
peuvent  se  soutenir  et  oii  chaque  poste  n'est  pas  eparpill6 
et  coupe  pas  des  defiles,  sans  pouvoir  etre  soutenu,  comme 
c'est  le  cas  des  Yosges.  Tout  le  monde  pent  se  tran- 
quilliser, car  certes  il  n'ira  pas  plus  loin  sans  etre  battu, 
ce  qui  n  est  pas  probable  car  je  doute  que  I'ennemi,  tout 
fort  qu'il  est,  entame  une  affaire  generale.  Si  cependant 
les  Autrichiens  passoient  le  Rhin,  je  ne  sais  pas  si  nous 
pourrions  seuls  nous  soutenir  contre  cent  cinquante  oil 
cent  soixante  mille  hommes.  Toutes  les  troupes  de  la 
Vendee,  quelque  chose  de  I'arm^e  du  Nord  et  des  Ar- 
dennes, la  plus  grandc  partie  de  I'arm^e  d'ltalie  est  ici, 
mc^me  beaucoup  de  cavallerie  ;  Dieu  sait  oii  ils  ont  pris 
les  chevaux ! 

Mons.  de  Meyerinck  est  de  retour,  des  que  nos  combats 
auront  fini  il  arrivera  a  Manhcim,  ou  ]\Ions.  de  Ilarden- 

•  Illegible  ill  the  MS.,  which,  as  imicli  as  the  style  of  this  lette--,  shews 
the  writer  to  be  at  his  wit's  end. 


1794.]  BERLIN.  121 

berg  se  rendra  egalement  par  ordre  du  Roi ;  je  crois  qu'il 
arrivera  Vendredi  dix-huitieme,  au  soir. 

Yous  voudrez  bien  excuser  mon  grifFonuage  ;  apres 
plusieurs  nuits  blanches  presque  toujours  a  cheval,  la  main 
tremble  d'ecbauiFement. 

Nous  avons  perdu  beaucoup  d'officiers  a  proportion  des 
soldats  :  le  General  Pfau  qui  commandait  au  Sclienzel  est 
blesse  et  prisonnier  ;  le  G6n^ral  Kleist,  qui  commandait  au 

Johannis est  blesse  ;  le  General est  egalement 

blesse.     Le  regiment  de  Romberg  a  perdu  au  Schenzel 
onze  officiers. 

Monsieur  le  Baron,  nous  avons  ete  surpris  des  m^nage- 
mens  visibles  qu'a  eu  Tennemi  pour  nos  voisins,'"  il  nous  a 
fait  rhonneur  de  porter  toutes  ses  forces  centre  nous. 
Votre  tres  humble  et  tres  obeissant  serviteur, 

SCHULEJS^BERG, 


July  1.5. — Sent  an  estafette  to  Hardenberg,  to  inform 
him  of  our  intention  to  remove  to  Frankfort — the  Aus- 
trians  pass  the  Rhine.  Major  Pfuhl — his  language  ab- 
surd to  a  degree— desponding  or  treacherous — write  by 
him  to  the  ^Marshal.  We  leave  Manheim,  and  sleep  at 
Darmstadt — arrive  at  Frankfort  on  the  18th. 


July  20. — I  take  a  countrj-house.  Hardenberg  arrives. 
Call  on  Prince  Reuss  at  Offenback.  Conference  in  even- 
ing with  Hardenberg.  He  has  no  full  powers — his  in- 
tention good — his  means  null — his  capacity  moderate. 
Meyerinck  arrives  from  the  Marshal,  and  is  sent  by 
him  to  us. 


Mo^fDAY,  July  21. — Dinner  at  my  house — Hardenberg, 
Meyerinck,  Kinckel — long  conference. 

*  The  Aiistiians :  this  remark  is  a  specimen  of  tlie  vile  feeling  existing 
between  the  allied  armies. 


122  DIARIES   AND    CORRESPONDENCE.  [l794. 

Tuesday,  July  22. — Despatch  a  messenger — Hard  en- 
berg  and  Meyerinck  go  to  the  head-quarters. 


July  23. — Learn  that  the  King  of  Prussia  wishes  to 
combine  the  defence  of  IloUand  with  that  of  Germany — 
is  betrayed  by  his  army,  and  deceived  by  his  Ministers, 
particularly  Luchesini. 


Thursday,  July  24. — Hardenberg  returns — reads  us  a 
long  ]\lemorial,'"'  and  wants  us  to  take  two  others,  dated 
2 2d  of  June,  and  to  give  him  a  retrospect — this  we  de- 
cline on  the  25th  of  July. 


Saturday,  July  26. — Agree  to  go  to  head-quarters. 


EXTRACT    OF    A    DESPATCH    FROM    LORD    MALMESBURY    TO    LORD 

GRENVILLE. 

Frankfort,  29tli  July,  1794. 

On  the  26th,  Baron  Kinckel,  myself,  and  Baron  Har- 
denberg, went  to  the  Prussian  head-quarters,  where  Prince 
Reuss  had  arrived  a  few  hours  before  us  :  Prince  Reuss 
had  come  the  preceding  day  with  a  commission  from  the 
Prince  de  Coburg  to  Marshal  ]\1  Ollendorff ;  had  been  sent 
by  him,  accompanied  by  Major  Gravent,  to  the  Duke  de 
Saxe  Teschen,  from  whom  they  were  just  returned  when 
we  got  to  Mentzenheim. 

The  inclosed  paper  will  inform  your  Lordship  to  what 
this  commission  relates,t  better  than  anything  I  can  say 
on  the  sul)jcct  ;  it  is  nearly  the  plan  M.  de  Hardenberg 
mentioned  to  us,  and  I  am  well  pleased  that  it  was  set- 

•  This  contains  Mollcndoi-ft"'s  military  reasons  for  not  marching  to  the 
Low  Countries,  stated  at  immense  length.  He  concludes  by  saying,  that 
this  movement  would  be  "a  n'cn  pas  doutcr  dcs  plus  funcstes  pour  nous,  ct 
pour  la  cause  commune." 

t  Tliis  relatos  to  military  movements  concerted  between  Prince  Coburg 
an<l  MoUendorff,  tending  to  apjn-oaeh  the  Low  Comilries. 


1794.]  BERLIN.  123 

tied  between  the  different  commanders  without  any  in- 
terference on  the  part  of  the  Dutch  Minister  and  myself, 
and  that  we  were  at  liberty  to  take  it  simply  as  a  com- 
munication for  reference,  and  at  the  same  time  to  declare 
(which  we  both  did)  that  although  we  did  not  object  to 
it,  we  did  not  consider  it  as  having  anything  to  do  with 
the  stipulations  of  our  Treaty,  which  remained  precisely 
in  the  same  situation  they  did  before. 

This,  my  Lord,  is  all  that  I  can  report  of  a  very  long 
visit  we  made  at  the  Prussian  head-quarters.  It  would  be 
painful  for  me  to  attempt  to  transmit  the  conversation  of 
Marshal  Mollendorif,  whose  faculties  are  evidently  im- 
paired, either  by  age,  by  fatigue,  or  by  passion  ;  he 
was  extremely  agitated  and  incoherent.  He  talked  at 
one  moment  on  the  immense  number  of  the  enemy, 
then  on  his  own  great  achievements,  and  his  language 
was  a  mixture  of  apprehension  and  boasting,  very  unlike 
his  natural  character.  It  was  literally  impossible  to 
enter  into  business  luith  him,  and  as  the  plan  now 
agreed  to  be  taken  between  the  armies  brings  the 
business  for  a  moment  to  a  period,  and  will,  I  hope,  be 
attended  with  good  consequences,  I  thought  it  as  well 
to  suspend  all  fresh  discussions  till  I  hear  from  your 
Lordship. 

July  27. — To  Mentzenheim  —  on  the  29th  concert 
signed  between  the  ]\Iarshals. 


July  30. — Lord  Spencer  and  Tom  Grenville  on  Special 
Mission  to  Vienna — their  object  to  save  the  garrisons  in 
Valenciennes  and  other  towns,  and  to  persuade  the  Em- 
peror to  make  a  forward  movement  on  the  Netherlands. 
Cobourg  promises  him  to  remain  on  the  Meuse — much 
conversation  with  him  — they  set  out  in  the  afternoon. 
Alarm  from  Hamburgh  about  the  subsidy  being  stopped 
— it  was  false,  but  proves  how  much  the  Prussians  feared 
it,  by  the  great  uneasiness  they  expressed. 


124  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [l794. 

July  31. — Hardenberg  returns  to  the  charge  with  his 
Memorials — we  agree  to  accept  the  military  one,  but 
decline  the  other. 


Friday,  August  1. — Frankfort.  Short  Memorial  to 
Hardenberg,  to  press  the  cooperation  as  agreed  to  in  the 
Concert  of  26  th  July. 


August  3. — Schulenberg  proposes  our  coming  to  live 
at  Guntersblum — evident  disinclination  to  move  to  the 
right,  and  to  fulfil  the  Concert. 


August  7. — Timms  on  return  home — Lord  Spencer 
writes  by  him  to  England  and  to  Duke  of  York — brings 
me  letter  from  Duke  of  Portland — despatch  Vansheick  to 
Vienna,  with  account  that  Marshal  MoUendorff  is  dis- 
posed to  fulfil  his  engagement,  though  slowly  and  un- 
graciously.    Report  of  French  moving  towards  Treves. 


DUKE   OF    PORTLAND    TO    LORD    MALMESBURY. 

Wednesday  morning,  23rd  July,  1794. 

It  may  not  be  amiss  to  inform  you  that  Mr.  Pitt  and  I 
were  the  most  averse  of  any  of  the  King's  servants  from 
withholding  the  mensual  payments,  and  coming  to  a  rup- 
ture with  the  Court  of  Berlin,  as  long  even  as  any  ne- 
gative good  could  be  derived  from  our  apparent  con- 
nexion. Yours  ever,  P. 


EXTRACT   OF    A    LETTER    FROM    LORD    MALMESBURY    TO 
T.    GRENVILLE,    ESQ. 

Frankfort,  7tli  Aug.,  1794. 

There  are  rumours  here  of  a  conspiracy  having  been 
discovered  at  Vienna  of  many  })cople  of  various  descrij*- 


1794.]  BERLIN.  125 

tions  having  been  arrested,  and  that  the  spirit  of  the 
people  inclines  to  insurrection.  I  do  not  believe  a  word 
of  all  this,  but  I  should  be  glad  to  hear  from  you  that  it  is 
not  true.  I  have  been  reading  with  all  the  attention  I  am 
capable  of  Le  Journal  Politique  de  France  from  the  26th 
July  to  the  30th.  I  fear  the  overthrow  of  Robespierre  is 
only  to  make  room  for  a  new  set  of  tyrants,  who  for  a 
few  months  will  govern  as  despotically  and  as  furiously 
as  he  has  done.  I  think,  however,  even  with  all  the  art 
that  Tallien  and  Collet  d'Herbois  have  told  their  story, 
that  there  was  a  more  marked  party,  and  a  more  powerful 
resistance  now,  than  in  any  of  the  antecedent  changes  of 
government,  and  I  would  willingly  hope  that  it  is  not  all 
over. 

One  comfortable  reflection  arises  from  these  scenes  of 
horror,  that  no  successes,  no  conquests,  can  give  union 
and  concord ;  that  under  every  circumstance  there  is  a 
perpetual  struggle  for  power  :  and  if  we  add  to  this  the 
total  impossibility  that  mankind  can  long  continue  to  be 
led  by  such  prancing  nonsense  as  is  talked  in  the  Conven- 
tion, we  may  safely  conclude,  that  if  we  persevere  with 
courage  and  patience,  we  shall  carry  our  point ;  and  on 
the  other  side,  the  very  short  time  which  power  remains 
with  any  one  faction,  leaves  us  no  choice  what  we  are  to 
do,  and  ought  to  convince  all  those  who  recommend 
peace,  that  they  are  recommending  what  it  is  impossible 
to  effect. 


EXTRACT    OF    A   LETTER   FROM    LORD    MALMESBURY   TO    THE 

DUKE  OF  PORTLAND. 

Frankfort,  7th  Aug.,  1794. 

Here  I  have  to  do  with  knavery  and  dotage,  but  you 
have  enough  of  this  in  my  public  correspondence,  without 
my  introducing  it  in  a  private  letter.  My  great  aim  is  to 
endeavour  to  obtain  as  much  as  is  practicable  from  the 
Prussian  army  under  the  present  circumstances,  without 
committing,  either  by  official  acquiescence  or  official  ap- 
probation, our  indisputable  right  to  claim  and  insist  on 


126  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENXE.  [l794. 

the  full  performance  of  the   Treaty  whenever  we  may 
judge  proper  so  to  do. 

The  events  of  the  27th  ultimo  at  Paris,  and  the  over- 
throw of  Robespierre,  are  too  recent,  and  the  details 
belonging  to  them  too  imperfectly  known  to  me,  for  me 
to  be  able  to  conjecture  to  what  they  may  lead  ;  one  very 
comfortable  inference,  however,  may  l)e  drawn  from  them, 
viz.  that  their  Government  is  one  of  perpetual  discord  and 
disunion,  and  that  all  their  brilliant  successes  of  late 
cannot  give  it  even  temporary  security  or  stability  :  and 
another  still  more  comfortable  conclusion  in  my  mind 
follows  logicalhj,  that  if  we  persevere  with  courage,  firm- 
ness, and  patience,  we  shall  infallibly  succeed ;  but  if  we 
relax,  or  if  we  listen  prematurely  to  the  strong  inclination 
that  prevails  on  the  Continent  to  overtures  for  peace,  we 
shall  fix  the  evil,  and  render  it  incurable. 

(Confidential.) 

I  must  thank  you  on  a  separate  sheet  for  your  few 
confidential  lines.  If  we  listened  only  to  our  feelings,  it 
would  be  difficult  to  keep  any  measure  with  Prussia.  But 
your  opinion,  and  that  of  Mr.  Pitt,  is  one  of  sound  poli- 
tical wisdom,  and  I  am  well  pleased  it  has  prevailed.  We 
must  consider  it  as  an  alliance  with  the  Algerines,  whom  it 
is  no  disgrace  to  pay,  or  any  impeachment  of  good  sense 
to  be  cheated  by. 


Sunday,  Aug.  10. — Gravinus  (Hardenberg's  friend  and 
assistant)  calls  on  me  to  say  Treves  is  taken  by  the 
French — evident  ill-will  and  wilful  carelessness  on  the 
part  of  Kalkreuth.  Call  on  Prince  Reuss  at  Offenbach — 
dinner  at  Bethman's, 


Aug.  12. — Confirmation  of  Treves  being  taken  comes 
to  Hardenberg  ;  yet  is  doubted  by  all  the  principal  people 
of  Frankfort. 


1794.]  BERLIN.  127 

Aug.  14. — Nothing  material.  Rode  with  Sophy  Beth- 
man —  King  of  Prussia  in  love  with  her  —  she  is  not 
pretty,  but  a  good  countenance — clever,  artful,  well  in- 
formed, and  takes  great  pains  with  herself — well  ma'de — 
said  to  be  very  charitable,  and  to  do  a  great  deal  of  good 
— talks  English  very  well,  and  Italian. 


Aug  15. — Writing.  Treves  taken  beyond  a  doubt. — 
Sir  Robert  Ainslie  and  Mr.  Walker  in  the  evening.  Sir 
Robert  assures  me  the  Turks  were  not  democratically  in- 
clined, nor  French,  nor  disposed  to  quarrel  with  Russia. 
Paget,  in  the  Romney  of  fifty,  has  taken  La  Sibylle  of 
forty-four,  and  Sir  Robert  says  our  trade  has  suffered  very 
little,  but  many  ships  taken  under  Russian  and  Austrian 
colours. 

Aug.  16. — Letter  from  Meyerinck  to  Hardenberg,  com- 
plaining of  M  Ollendorff — he  will  not  move  towards  the 
Netherlands.  Kinckel  determines  to  go  to  Mentz  to  see 
Schulenberg. — Courvoisier,  messenger  from  Vienna,  in  the 
evening. — Lord  Spencer  mentions  his  having  opened  the 
Conference,  but  made  no  progress. 


EXTRACT    OF    A   LETTER    FROM    LORD    MALMESBURY   TO    THE 

HON.    A.  PAGET. ''^ 

Frankfort,  16th  Aug.,  1794. 

You  are  perfectly  right  in  your  information.  Haugwiz 
is  nobody — Luchesini  rules  despotically  ;  and,  as  he  did 
not  make  the  Subsidiary  Treaty,  he  opposes  it  in  every 
part.  Mollendorff  is  a  dotard,  his  parts  and  mind  are 
gone,  and  nothing  remains  but  his  vanity  and  malice. 
The  army  is  in  as  high  order  as  possible,  but  we  never 
shall  derive  any  real  benefit  from  it.  All  the  leading 
officers  are  ill  disposed,  and  many  of  them  with  decided 
Jacobin  leanings.     The  loss  of  Treves  is  to  be  attributed 

*  English  Minister  at  Berlin. 


128  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [l794. 

solely  to  wilful  negligence  on  the  part  oiKalhreuth.  I  have 
pressed  MollendoriF  strongly  to  make  an  attempt  to  retake 
it,  l)ut  I  am  certain  without  effect,  although  there  is  little 
doubt  but  the  measure  would  succeed.  Reeden  is  a  bilious, 
proud,  disappointed  man  ;  he  is  particularly  angry  with 
me,'"'  but  without  a  shadow  of  reason  :  he  is  also  led  by 
his  secretary  Bourdeaux,  who  is  a  notorious  democrat.  I 
cannot  guess  how  long  I  am  likely  to  remain  on  the  Con- 
tinent— it  depends  on  events. 

Aug.  21.  — At  Offenbach  with  Kinckel.  T.  Grenville 
writes  me  word  that  Coburg  and  Prince  Waldeck  are  to 
be  removed  from  the  command — it  devolves  on  Clairfayt. 
Send  Major  on — write  to  Duke  of  York — dinner  at 
Goutard's— news  of  a  successful  sally  made  by  Marshal 
Benden  on  the  French  near  Treves. 


EXTRACTS   OF    A    DESPATCH    FROM    LORD    MALMESBURY    TO 

LORD    GRENVILLE. 

Frankfort,  Ang.  21st,  1794. 

Baron  Kinckel  returned  from  Mentz  on  the  evening  of 
Sunday  the  1 7th.  The  result  of  his  conversation  with  Count 
Schulenberg  went  evidently  to  prove,  that  there  has  been, 
to  use  the  gentlest  term,  great  misconduct  on  the  part  of 
the  Prussians  in  not  making  a  forward  movement,  and 
Count  Schulenberg  did  not  scruple  to  blame  very  strongly 
the  hesitation  of  M.  Mollendorff  on  this  occasion.  He 
asserted  that  he  himself  liad  done  everything  in  his  power 
to  press  this  measure,  but  that  he  was  overruled  by 
officers  at  the  head-quarters,  to  whose  opinions  the  Mar- 
shal listens,  and  particularly  by  the  influence  of  General 
Kalkreuth  ;  who,  when  it  was  proposed  to  him  to  advance, 
represented  his  corps  as  having  done  everything  in  their 
power,  and  as  extremely  harassed  by  tlie  forced  marches  it 
had  already  made,  in  order,  although  witliout  success,  to 
arrive  in  time  to  support  the  Austrians  in  tlic  defence  of 
the  lines  of  Pottingen,  on  which  the  safety  of  Treves  de- 

*  For  having  removed  the  negotiation  from  Berlin,  where  he  was  Dutcli 
Minister,  to  tlie  Hague. — Harris  P<ii)c>s. 


1794.]  BERLIN.  129 

pended.  Count  Schulenberg  lamented  the  situation  of  the 
army,  confessed  that  the  Marshal  was  no  longer  possessed 
of  those  eminent  qualities  he  once  had,  and  which  were 
so  very  essential  in  such  a  command ;  that  he  had  lost 
that  steadiness  of  character  and  decision  of  mind  ;  that 
he  consulted  his  adjutants  and  aides-de-camp,  and  gene- 
rally took  the  opinion  of  the  last  adviser.  Of  this  we 
have  most  uncomfortable  proofs,  and  I  wish  I  could  say 
that  there  was  not  also  the  strongest  appearances  that- 
these  advisers,  with  whose  names  your  Lordship  is  not 
unacquainted,  are  not  wrought  upon  by  the  most  unbe- 
coming means. 

This  language  will  appear  to  your  Lordship  singular  in 
the  mouth  of  Count  Schulenberg;  but  his  passion  some- 
times gets  the  better  of  his  cunning,  and  it  is  to  be 
accounted  for  on  his  being  piqued  at  those  persons  having 
acquired  a  superior  ascendancy  to  his  over  Marshal 
MoUendorff.  But  although  he  was  very  free  in  his  expres- 
sions, he  very  carefully  avoided  committing  himself  beyond 
words  ;  and  when  my  colleagues  proposed  to  him,  as  a 
duty  in  a  manner  incumbent  on  him,  to  use  his  endea- 
vours to  prevent  the  Marshal  from  being  led  by  such  per- 
nicious counsels,  and  that  he  ought  to  write  to  the  King 
his  Master  on  this  occasion.  Count  Schulenberg  declined 
it  positively,  saying,  that  his  duties  were  circumscribed  by 
his  office  of  Commissary-General,  and  that  it  would  be 
highly  dangerous  for  him  to  attempt  to  move  officially 
out  of  their  sphere.  My  colleague  very  wisely  did  not 
bring  to  his  recollegtion,  that  the  whole  of  his  conduct 
from  the  conference  at  Kirkheim  on  the  20th  June,  to 
this  day,  had  been  in  constant  contradiction  to  what  he 
now  said.  Such  a  reflection,  however  natural,  would 
only  have  served  to  irritate  Count  Schulenberg  uselessly, 
at  a  moment  when  he  was  disposed  to  be  communicative, 
and  to  concur,  at  least  in  appearance,  with  our  opinions 
and  wishes. 

Baron  Kinckcl  pressed,  however,  on  the  expediency  of 
an  immediate  attempt  to  recover  Treves.  He  pointed  out 
the  many  military  reasons  drawn  from  the  inferior  force 
of  the  enemy,  and  from  the  nature  of  the  country  occu- 

VOL.  III.  K 


130  DIARIES  AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [1794. 

pied  by  the  Prussians,  which  seemed  to  ensure  the  success 
of  such  an  enterprise;  the  immediate  good  harmony  it 
would  re-establish  between  the  Austrian  and  Prussian 
armies  (which  the  loss  of  this  place  had  occasionally  in- 
terrupted) ;  and  above  all  what  ought  to  have  the  most 
weight  with  him,  (Count  Schulenlberg,)  as  a  Prussian 
Minister,  the  lustre  it  would  give,  or  rather  restore,  to 
the  Prussian  arms,  which  had  not  during  the  whole  of 
this  campaign,  distinguished  themselves  by  any  one  me- 
morable action.  Count  Schulenberg  was  ready  enough  to 
admit  these  reasons,  but  he  declined  taking  any  active 
part  on  this  occasion,  and  the  only  good  eifect  derived 
from  this  visit  of  my  colleague  was,  to  ascertain  what  we 
had  so  much  reason  to  suspect,  and  to  convince  us  that  if 
we  can  succeed  in  keeping  the  Prussians  to  maintain  the 
line  they  have  undertaken  by  the  Convention  of  the  26  th, 
it  will  be  all  we  can  expect. 

The  latest  accounts  from  Warsaw '"'  are  far  from  satis- 
factory. It  should  appear  that  the  success  of  the  attempt 
on  that  town  is  very  doubtful,  and  that  His  Prussian 
Majesty  finds  himself  in  a  situation  of  difiiculty  and  pos- 
sible disgrace  he  by  no  means  expected.  It  would  be  very 
fortunate  if  this  should  serve  to  open  his  eyes  on  the  cha- 
racter of  ]\Ions.  Luchesini,  by  whose  advice  he  was 
placed  in  this  situation,  and  to  whose  influence  solely  are 
to  be  attributed  the  whole  of  the  conduct  which  has  been 
observed  here,  and  the  little  attention  paid  to  the  engage- 
ments they  entered  into  on  the  1 9th  of  April. 


EXTRACT  OF  A  DESrATCII  FROM  LORD  GRENVILLE  TO  LORD 

MALMESBURY. 

Downing  Street,  lOth  Aug.,  1794. 

I  HAVE  the  honour  to  enclose  to  your  Lordship  the 
copy  of  a  despatch  sent  by  this  mail  en  clair  to  j\Ir.  Paget 

*  In  1703,  after  tlie  Russian  garrison  had  been  expelled  liv  the  Poles, 
Kosciusko  took  possession  of  Warsaw,  and  defended  it  successfully  against 
the  King  of  Prussia,  liut,  in  1795,  the  Russians,  under  Suwarow,  retook  it, 
and  the  final  partition  of  Poland  followed. 


1794.]  BERLIN.  131 

at  Berlin.  It  contains  the  substance  of  all  that  I  have  to 
communicate  to  your  Lordship  with  respect  to  the  ques- 
tion of  the  employment  of  the  Prussian  troops,  and  the 
continuance  of  the  subsidy.  It  was  not  till  I  received 
from  your  Lordship  the  account  of  the  arrangement 
made  between  the  Austrian  and  Prussian  Generals,  that  it 
was  possible  for  me  to  add  anything  to  the  instructions 
contained  in  the  despatch  delivered  to  your  Lordship  by 
Lord  Spencer  and  Mr.  Grenville  ;  and,  indeed,  a  part  of  the 
policy  of  the  Prussians  on  this  occasion  has  evidently  been 
to  embarrass  the  business  by  repeated  deceit,  as  well  as  to 
delay  the  adoption  of  any  decisive  measure  in  this  coun- 
try as  long  as  possible.  The  necessity  of  aifairs  as  result- 
ing from  the  late  ill  successes  in  Flanders,  makes  it 
perhaps  now  a  fortunate  circumstance  that  these  delays 
have  intervened ;  and  in  the  present  moment,  the  distribu- 
tion of  force  is  such  as  to  leave  nothing  to  be  wished  for 
in  that  respect,  except  a  juster  ground  of  confidence  in 
the  punctual  execution  even  of  that  engagement  by  the 
Prussians. 

This  messenger  will  pass  through  the  Hague,  and  will 
bring  to  your  Lordship  the  information  of  the  sentiments 
of  the  Dutch  Government  as  to  the  present  state  of  this 
business ;  but  I  imagine  there  can  be  little  doubt  of  their 
concurring  with  His  Majesty  in  wishing  to  keep  the 
Prussian  troops  in  their  present  position  under  the  now 
existing  circumstances,  and  to  consider  their  acting  there 
as  being  for  the  present  an  execution  of  the  Treaty. 

The  conduct  of  the  Court  of  Berlin  is,  however,  so 
little  veiled  in  all  this  business,  that  it  seems  neither 
wise  nor  dignified  to  afi'ect  to  be  deceived  by  it.  No 
language  that  we  could  hold  could  impose  upon  them  so 
far  as  to  make  them  believe  that  we  adopt  the  present 
resolution  from  any  other  consideration  than  that  of  an 
immediate  and  pressing  interest,  or  that  His  Majesty  is,  or 
can  be,  insensible  to  the  manner  in  which  the  Court  of 
Berlin  has  acted  on  this  occasion. 

All,  therefore,  that  remains  for  your  Lordship  to  do  is, 
to  be  careful  in  signifying  to  ]\Ions.  Hardenberg  the  King's 
acceptance  of  the  engagement  above  mentioned,  as  a  pre- 

K   2 


132  DIARIES   AND    CORRESPONDENCE.  [l794. 

sent  fulfilment  of  the  Treaty ;  to  restrain  that  acceptance 
to  the  present  circumstances,  and  to  declare  expressly 
that  the  King  does  not,  and  will  not,  renounce  the  right  of 
disposing  of  the  future  movements  of  those  troops,  ac- 
cording to  the  express  unquestionable  meaning  of  the 
Treaty. 


EXTRACTS    OF    A    DESPATCH    FROM    LORD    GRESTVILLE    TO    THE 

HON,  ARTHUR   PAGET. 

Downing  Street,  15th  Aug.,  1794. 

I  THINK  it  right  to  acquaint  you  that  Mr.  Jacobi  yes- 
terday, at  the  usual  conferences,  took  upon  himself  to 
com23lain  of  the  manner  in  which  the  late  Treaty  had 
hitherto  been  executed  on  His  Majesty's  part,  and  to  ask 
what  were  His  Majesty's  intentions  with  respect  to  the 
future.  To  the  first  part  of  this  communication  it  was 
impossible  to  give  any  other  answer  than  that,  if  the 
Treaty  had  not  hitherto  been  punctually  executed,  it  was 
notorious  to  all  Europe  that  the  failure  had  not  been  on 
His  Majesty's  part.  With  respect  to  what  was  to  come, 
he  was  told  explicitly,  that  the  same  exact  and  punctual 
execution  of  the  Treaty  on  His  ]\Iajesty's  part,  would 
nevertheless  be  continued,  provided  that  it  was  for  the 
future  more  punctually  fulfilled  on  the  other  side  by  His 
Prussian  Majesty. 

After  this  answer,  which  so  extraordinary  a  demand  on 
his  part  rendered  indispensable,  he  was  told  that,  wishing 
to  refer  to  the  just  ground  of  complaint  which  past  trans- 
actions had  given  to  this  part,  it  seems  sufficient  now  to 
say,  that  under  the  circumstances  which  recent  events 
had  occasioned.  His  Majesty  regarded  the  disposal  of  the 
Prussian  army,  such  as  it  had  been  settled  in  the  agree- 
ment made  between  Duke  Albert  and  ]\Iarshal  ]\IollendorfF, 
as  being  for  the  present  the  best  which  could  be  made  for 
the  common  cause. 

You  will,  of  course,  regulate  your  language  in  exact 
conformity  to  wliat  I  have  above  stated,  and  you  will 
plainly  give  it  to  l)e  understood  by  the  Court  of  Berlin, 


1794.]  BERLIN.  133 

that  the  continuance  of  the  liberal  subsidy  granted  bj 
His  Majesty,  will  depend  solely  on  the  faithful  execution 
of  the  engagement  taken  by  Marshal  Mollendorff,  and  on 
the  efficient  service  of  the  Prussian  army  under  his  com- 
mand. 


Saturday,  August  23. — Ride  to  Bergen — delightful. 
Dine  with  Kinckel.  —  News  of  an  advantage  obtained  by 
Prince  Cobourg  near  Tongres  on  the  19th.  Sup  at 
Madame  Bethman's. 


August  27. — Hardenberg  returns  from  army  —  well 
pleased  with  his  visit  —  answers  our  Memorial.  Dinner 
at  Metzlar's,  at  Offenbach.  In  the  evening  at  half-past 
eleven  I  despatch  Courvoisier  (messenger)  to  England. 


EXTRACT    OF    A    DESPATCH   FR0:\[    LORD   MALMESBURY    TO 

LORD   GREXYILLE. 

Frankfort,  27th  Aug.,  1794. 

The  manner  in  which  your  Lordship  sees  the  conduct 
and  designs  of  the  Court  of  Berlin,  is,  as  far  as  my  judg- 
ment and  information  go,  strictly  the  truth. 

It  is  particularly  painful  to  me,  to  whom  so  consider- 
able a  share  of  this  business  has  fallen,  to  have  met  with 
so  little  good  faith  ;  but  it  required  more  suspicion  than 
I  ever  wish  to  possess,  and  more  penetration  than  I  have 
any  claim  to,  to  suppose  there  could  exist  in  a  great 
Court  such  a  total  disregard  to  public  character  and  to 
sound  policy  ;  and  I  hope  I  shall  stand  acquitted  of  every 
other  charge  on  this  occasion,  but  that  of  having  been 
induced  to  believe,  that  when  these  two  considerations 
unite,  they  are  in  general  tolerably  good  securities  for 
the  performance  of  engagements. 

The  present  case  has  JDcen,  unfortunately,  an  exception 
to  this  rule  ;  I  have,  however,  little  doubt  that  His  Prus- 
sian Majesty,  from  the  insulated  position  in  which   (in 


134  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [l794. 

consequence  of  what  has  now  passed)  he  must  sooner  or 
later  be  placed,  will  have  to  lament  much  greater  incon- 
veniences from  his  having  abandoned  this  principle,  than 
we  feel  from  his  defection. 

I  lost  no  time  in  obeying  your  Lordship's  instructions 
on  the  22ud  instant  ;  in  the  evening  I  presented,  jointly 
with  my  colleague,  the  enclosed  note  to  Baron  Ilar- 
denberg,  and  while  I  remain  here,  I  shall  persist  in  my 
endeavours  to  keep  ]\I.  JMollendorff  fast  to  the  agreement 
he  entered  into  on  the  26  th  July  with  the  Austrian  com- 
manders. It  is  a  matter  of  some  comfort,  although  it 
arises  from  incidents,  that  if  we  can  now  obtain  a  faithful 
execution  of  this  agreement,  it  would  be,  perhaps,  as 
advantageous  an  employment  of  the  Prussian  troops  as 
any  we  could  have  derived  from  our  Treaty. 

In  giving  in  the  note  to  Baron  Hardenberg,  I  employed 
the  words  with  which  your  Lordship  ends  your  last 
despatch,  and  signified  very  distinctly  that  the  King's 
acceptance  of  this  engagement  as  a  present  fulfilment  of 
the  Treaty,  was  restrained  to  the  present  circumstances 
only;  and  I  declared  exj^ressly,  that  ''His  Majesty  does 
not  and  will  not  renounce  the  right  of  disposing  of  the  fu- 
ture  movement  of  the  Prussian  army,  according  to  the  ex- 
press and  unquestionable  meaning  of  the  Treaty." 


Thursday,  Aug.  28. — Dined  at  Goulard's  witli  Baron 
and  Madame  Vreden.  Good  news  from  Italy  in  the 
evening. 


Aug.  2.9. — No  public  event.     Ride  on  the  left  side  of 
the  Maine — very  pleasant. 


Aug.  31. — Euglisli  post  arrives — notliiiig  material. 
Great  dinner  at  Gozcl's — old  liock  at  a  guinea  the  pint. 
Supper  at  Gouhird's, 


1794.]  BERLIN.  135 

Monday,  Sept.  1. — Letters  by  Austrian  messenger — 
Merci's  death.'"  Dinner  at  Yorst  Hause  Wood — pleasant 
drives.     Count  de  Saleyn,     "  Fat  manqu6." 


Sept.  2. — Pleasant  ride  in  the  woods  near  Isenberg. 
Dine  at  home.  Hardenberg  returns  from  head-quarters. 
JMollendorfF  determines  to  take  charge  of  the  left  side  of 
the  Moselle.  Bad  news  from  Poland  ;  AYarsaw  holds  out. 
Insurrection  in  South  Prussia,  near  Silesia — riots  at  Ber- 
lin.— King  of  Prussia,  through  Ilaugwiz,  affects  to  draw 
towards  the  Maritime  Powers,  partly  from  these  commo- 
tions, and  partly  because  the  subsidy  is  ending. 


Wednesday,  Sept.  3. — J^othing.  Dinner  at  Kinckel's. 
Count  Schlik.  Imperial  Minister  at  Mentz — vain — not 
deep — ill  informed. 


Sept.  6,  7,  8,  9. — N'othing.  Gravinus  returns — has 
been  through  Berlin — says  the  King  of  Prussia  never 
meant  to  break  Treaty — wishes  to  be  well  with  the 
JVIaritime  Powers,  and  talks  a  language  calculated  to  in- 
duce a  renewal  of  the  subsidy.  Hardenberg  the  same — 
he  called  on  me  on  the  9th,  and  seemed  very  uneasy  on 
my  being  likely  to  leave  Frankfort — he  assured  me,  when 
Warsaw  was  taken,  the  King  would  come  to  Berlin,  and 
from  thence  here — he  also  dwelt  very  much  on  the  absolute 
necessity  England  Avas  under  to  keep  the  Prussian  army. 

I  replied  to  all  this,  that  the  mischief  was  done,  and  that 
if  the  King  had  the  sentiments  lie  said  he  had,  why  did 
he  not  show  them  ? — that  my  IVlission  was  to  him  and 
never  to  the  head-quarters — that  I  was  willing  to  do 
anything  I  could  to  keep  up  a  system  of  harmony  and 
friendship,  but  that  it  was  impossible  for  me  to  expose 
myself  to  be  duped  a  second  time. 

*  Merci  was  Austrian  Minister  at  Brussels,  and  had  been  much  at  the  old 
French  Court,  where  he  was  supposed  to  have  possessed  considerable  per- 
sonal influence. 


136  DIARIES  AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [l794. 

Valenciennes  and  Conde  are  lost — also  Sluys.  Slater 
passes  through  on  Sunday,  the  7th,  on  his  way  from  Bois  le 
Due,  where  he  left  Wyndham,  (Secretary  at  War,)  to 
Vienna, 

Letters  from  Lord  Grenville  on  the  9th,  to  announce 
the  speedy  return  of  Dressins,  and  to  desire  me  to  stay 
till  he  comes. 

Sept.  10. — Ilardenberg  with  me  in  the  morning — he 
gave  strong  assurances  of  the  King  of  Prussia's  wishes  and 
intentions  to  keep  well  with  the  Maritime  Powers  ;  tliat 
he  had  been  deceived  by  a  cabale  ;  that  the  moment  tlie 
Polish  war  was  over  he  would  return  to  Berlin  ;  that 
then  Ilaugwiz  would  resume  his  influence,  and  every- 
thing go  right ;  he  therefore  pressed  my  going  to  Berlin, 
and  continuing  my  Mission  there.  All  this  he  supported 
by  saying  he  had  sent  Gravinus  to  Berlin,  and  that  he 
had  seen  Ilaugwiz,  and  explained  to  him  all  the  intrigues 
at  the  head-quarters  here,  and  their  consequence,  and 
tliat  Ilaugwiz  was  convinced,  and  so  was  the  King,  that 
tliey  had  been  misled. 

This  was  said  to  Kinckel  and  me  with  a  clear  and 
evident  view  to  prevail  on  us  to  renew  the  Subsidy 
Treaty,  as  the  term  of  its  expiration  draws  near,  and  as 
the  Court  of  Berlin  is  uneasy  at  our  negotiations  at 
Vienna,  and  apprehensive  of  the  event  of  an  attack  on 
Warsaw :  it  was  too  thinly  veiled  not  to  be  seen 
through.  I  therefore  answered,  that  I  Avas  fearful  ''the 
evil  vjas  done ;"  that  if  the  King  and  his  IVIinistcrs  had 
acted  up  to  the  sentiments  M.  Ilardenberg  now  men- 
tioned, or  even  if  I  saw  a  sincere  disposition  of  doing  it 
now  l)y  j\lollendorff's  army  i^ealbj  actiiifj,  it  certainly 
would  be  good  grounds  to  hope  ;  but  that  this  was  not 
the  case.  That  what  he  (Ilardenl)erg)  said  to  me  at 
present,  Ilaugwiz  had  said  word  for  word  to  me  last  year, 
and  that  it  had  l)een  confirmed  to  me  by  the  King  him- 
self That,  however,  this  was  of  no  avail,  and  a  conduct 
was  observed  by  His  Prussian  Majesty  in  direct  contra- 
diction to  the  assurances  and  to  the  plain  sense  of  tlie 
Treaty  ;  that,  therefore,  I  certainly  could  not,  nor  icould 


1794.]  BERLIN.  137 

not,  take  upon  myself  to  engage  in  a  fresh  negotiation,  or 
to  go  to  Berlin.  That  when  I  said  this,  I  was  at  the  same 
time  so  sincerely  in  earnest  in  the  cause,  and  so  desirous 
to  do  everything  in  my  power  to  serve  it,  that  I  would 
not  hesitate  to  enforce  all  he  said  to  me  at  home ;  and 
that  if  His  Prussian  Majesty  really  and  bona  fide  wished 
systematically,  and  not  suhstdlanly,  to  unite  himself 
with  the  Maritime  Powers,  the  only  way  I  could  point 
out  was,  to  send  a  Minister  of  high  rank  and  confidence 
to  London  ;  that  we  should  have  one  in  a  short  time 
under  that  description  (Lord  H.  Spencer)  at  Berlin,  and 
that  certainly  some  one  would  be  named  to  reside  near 
the  Prussian  army  on  the  Rhine. 

Hardenberg  employed  every  argument  and  every  tr'ich 
within  the  narrow  compass  of  his  means  to  persuade  me 
they  were  earnestly  anxious  to  unite  with  us,  and  dis- 
posed to  rectify  their  past  behaviour ;  but  I  remained 
firm,  and  absolutely  declined  giving  in  to  a  belief  of  it. 

This  led  him  to  say  that  we  could  not  do  wit] tout  the 
Prussians,  and  that  we  must  continue  the  subsidy,  that 
therefore  it  was  wisest  and  best  to  do  it  in  the  manner 
the  most  useful  and  most  conciliatory. 

I  replied,  that  without  deciding  on  this  strong  question 
of  necessity,  I  could  not  but  observe  that,  by  stating  it 
as  an  argument,  he  brought  his  Court  on  a  level  with  the 
lowest  German  prince,  and  supposed  it  to  be  actuated  by 
principles  like  those  of  the  Dey  of  Algiers ;  and  that,  if 
necessity  was  to  decide  the  measure,  it  required  no  nego- 
tiation, it  would  do  itself,  and  I  felt  myself  by  no  means 
in  a  rank  to  conduct  such  a  business. — As  he  had  let 
slip  the  word  necessity  from  awkwardness,  he  was  eager 
to  retract  it,  and  then  said  the  whole  would  depend 
on  our  not  forming  a  system  with  the  Court  of  Vienna. 
He  asked  me,  by  a  straight  forward  question,  what  our 
conduct  toAvards  that  Court  was  1  I  told  him  it  de- 
pended on  that  which  liis  Court  ivould  observe,  and  had 
observed,  and  that  from  this  he  might  be  sure  to  draw  a 
safe  conclusion. — He  replied,  if  it  is  yet  i^es  integra,  all 
may  yet  do  well.  He  then  again  re[)eated  his  concerted 
assurances  aljout  the  King  of  Prussia's  dispositions  and 


138  DIARIES   AND  CORRESPONDENCE.  [l794. 

sentiments,  and  again  urged  my  staying  on,  and  going  to 
Berlin.  I  at  last  told  him  very  fairly,  that  having  been 
the  dupe  once,  it  was  impossible  for  me  to  expose  myself 
a  second  time  ;  that  I  would  very  sincerely  and  willingly 
do  my  Ijest  to  forward  any  measure  Ills  Prussian  ^lajesty 
might  propose  at  London,  if  I  saw  such  proposition  come 
forward  with  an  air  of  truth  and  sincerity  ;  that  more  I 
neither  could  nor  would  undertake. 

Gravinus,  who  dined  with  me,  repeated  (but  with  more 
judgment  and  art)  all  Hardenberg  had  said.  He  urged 
the  necessity  of  a  new  Commander,  and  mentioned  the 
Duke  of  Brunswick  ;  and  it  was  evident,  from  all  he  said, 
that  his  journey  to  Berlin  was  undertaken  to  get  full 
powers  for  Hardenberg ;  and,  as  Hardenberg  formerly 
was  in  the  Duke's  service,  to  replace  him  in  the  com- 
mand, with  a  hope  that  then  the  main  direction  of  the 
whole  business  might  fall  into  his  hands.  All  that  was 
said  to  us  was  only  an  accessory  to  this  principle  ;  and 
perhaps  it  would  be  very  fortunate  was  it  to  take  place, 
although  I  certainly  will  not  be  mixed  up  in  the  arrange- 
ment. 

Sept.  11. — General  ZinzendorfF — explained  the  shame- 
ful conduct  of  the  Prussians  in  the  afiair  of  Treves.  Dined 
at  Hardenberg — play — Madame  de  Spec — handsome. 


Sept.  1 2. — Zinzcndorff  dined  with  me — long  desultory 
conversation — he  abuses  the  Prussians,  yet  denies  the  pos- 
sil)ility  of  doing  without  them.  His  nephew.  Count  Poppen- 
heim,  with  him, — he  wants  to  raise  a  corps  for  our  service 
— man  of  high  rank,  and  good  reputation  as  a  soldier. 

From  hence  to  the  end  of  the  month,  Frankfort  fair — 

Madame  ,  sister  to  Ilatzfeldt,  at  Berlin — clever, 

well-mannered,  handsome — presses  me  to  come  to  Ascliaf- 
fenberg — expresses  Elector's  wish  to  see  me. — No  letters 
from  Lord  Grenvillc.  Defeat  of  La  Tour""  on  the  Ourt, 
just  as  we  induced  JMoUcndorflf,  in  appearance,  to  support 

*  An  Aut^triiin  goucial,  (IcrciUcd  l>y  Joiiidaii. 


1794.]  BERLIN.  139 

Olairfaj^t's  left.  Hardenberg  (not  the  Minister,  liut  a 
relation,  in  the  Hanoverian  service,)  from  Duke  of  York, 
presses  this  point.  I  send  him  to  MoUendorif  and  Duke 
Albert,  and  this  journey  with  our  Representatives,  pro- 
duces an  appearance  in  MoUendorff  to  act  as  we  wish.  I 
say  appearance,  because  it  looks  as  if  he  foresaw  La  Tour 
would  be  beaten,  and  he  not  called  upon  to  fulfil  his  pro- 
mise.   

Sept.  20. — Write  by  Dressins,  and  on  the  26th  by  a  mes- 
senger I  got  from  Bethman.  Press  eagerly  to  get  the  Prus- 
sians to  the  assistance  of  Clairfayt,  but  without  success. 


EXTRACT    OF    A    DESPATCH    FROM    LORD    MALMESBURY    TO    LORD 

GRENVILLE. 

Frankfort,  20th  Sept.,  1794. 

The  enclosed  extract  of  a  letter  from  Paris  comes  to 
me  from  good  authority,  and  I  believe  and  hope  it  to  be 
a  true  picture  of  the  present  situation  of  that  capital. 


Paris,  du  12  Septembrc,  1794. 

II  parait  que  les  choses  vont  changer  de  face  a  Paris. 
Tallien  tombe  en  disgrace  chez  les  Jacobins  fut  dans  la 
nuit  attaque  par  un  meurtrier,  et  il  fut,  quoique  pas 
dangereusement,  bless6  d'un  coup  de  pistolet.  Apr^s 
cela  JMeiiin  de  Thionville  prit  la  parole  dans  la  Conven- 
tion, et  lui  parla  fortement  contre  les  Jacobins,  et  d'une 
maniere  courageuse  leur  impute  I'attentat  contre  Tallien, 
les  appela  tyrans  sanguinaires,  Aleves  de  Robespierre, 
brigands,  enfin  il  demande  a  la  Convention  si  elle  con- 
tinuera  de  souffrir  a  cot6  d'elle  une  autorite  rivale,  la- 
quelle  proscrit  les  membres  pour  leurs  opinions.  Cette 
societe  trop  fameuse,  dit-il,  a  sans  doute  rendu  de  grands 
services  a  la  Revolution,  mais  n'ayant  plus  de  troue  a 
renverser,  elle  veut  renverser  la  Convention.  C'est  en 
ce  ton  qu'il  pai'la  longtemps  ;  on  applaudissait  tres  fort, 
et  il  fut  soutenu  de  plusieurs  membres.     Tout  ceci,  de 


140  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [l794. 

meme  que  I'addresse  des  Jacobins  fut  renvoye  au  comite, 
qui  doit  dans  peu  rendre  compte  de  la  situation  actuelle 
de  la  Republique.  Quand  cela  paraitra,  il  en  r^sultera  de 
nouveaux  debats, 

Oct.  1. — Clairfayt  driven  from  the  Roer  on  the  4th — 
he  crosses  the  Rhine.  Renew  my  instances.  Hardenberg 
returns  on  the  7th.  Send  Duke  of  York  copies  of  all  my 
Notes  and  Memorials.  An  extra  messenger  arrives  on 
Friday,  10th  October,  with  instructions  to  suspend 
subsidy. 


EXTRACTS    OF    A    LETTER    FROM   LORD    MALMESBURY    TO 
LORD    GRENVILLE. 

Frankfort,  2nd  Oct.,  1794. 

I  HAVE  written  to  Lord  Spencer  all  I  have  to  write 
officially.  I  have,  I  fear,  mixed  up  a  little  bile  with  my 
intelligence  ;  but  the  times  are  bilious,  and  it  is  beyond 
the  compass  of  my  patience  to  see  the  great  stake  we  are 
playing  for  lost  by  imbecility,  treachery,  and  neglect.  It 
is  really  deplorable  that  we  should  be  the  only  nation  in 
Europe  who  are  up  to  the  danger  of  the  moment,  and 
that  the  minds  of  all  the  other  Cabinets  are  either  so 
tainted  with  false  principles,  or  are  so  benumbed,  that  it 
is  impossible  to  work  upon  them.  It  is  manifest,  from  the 
most  undoubted  information,  that  the  interior  of  France 
is  in  a  state  of  the  greatest  disorder  and  confusion  ;  that 
the  successes  of  the  armies'"  are  the  only  cause  of  this 
confusion  not  breaking  out  in  the  shape  of  a  civil  war, 
and  that,  if  we  could  at  this  moment  oljtain  any  one 
brilliant  success,  the  whole  fabric  would  fall  to  pieces. 

*  Tlie  successes  of  the  French  .armies  against  the  Austrians  continued 
ahiiost  witliout  a  clieck.  After  La  Tour's  defeat,  .Toiu'ihiii  attacked  Clair- 
fayt between  the  Meuse  and  Lower  Rliine,  near  Kuremonde,  on  tiie  29tli  of 
September,  and  nearly  destroyed  his  army  after  four  days'  tighting.  Co- 
logne, Venloo,  and  Bonn  submitted  to  the  rej)ubliean  arms.  Col)]ent7. 
surrendered,  as  well  as  AN'^orms,  without  firing  a  shot,  and  the  Austrians 
crossed  the  Rhine.  Piehegru's  whole  attention  was  now  tuiiu'd  to  the 
reduction  of  Holland,  and  the  expulsion  of  the  Duke  of  York's  army. 


1794.]  BERLIN.  141 

Saturday,  Oct.  11. — Gave  a  Note  to  suspend  subsidy — 
the  measure  taken  precipitately,  but  as  it  Avas  commu- 
nicated to  Jacobi  by  j\Ir.  Pitt,  impossible  to  suppress  it — 
I  soften  it  as  mucti  as  possible — likely  to  produce  great 
anger  and  resentment.  Hardenberg,  on  the  12th  October, 
gives  me  an  answer,  saying  he  must  take  the  King's  orders. 


Wednesday,  Oct.  1.5. — Lord  Spencer  and  Grenville 
from  Vienna —  re  infedd.  Great  promises  —  strong  as- 
surances—no effect,  nothing  done — advise  with  him  as  to 
my  going  to  Berlin — they  against  it — I  write  word  so  on 
the  17th  by  Wiffen  (messenger)  to  Lord  Grenville — they 
go  away  on  the  1 8th.  Rumours  of  proposals  for  peace  to 
be  made  at  the  Diet  by  Elector  of  Mentz. 


Oct.  19. — Coadjutor  of  Mentz,  Baron  d'Alberg,  con- 
firms this  intention— says  that  when  he  was  at  Constance, 
of  which  bishoprick  he  has  the  reversion,  that  the  Senate 
of  Zurich  opened  to  him  the  views  they  had  collected 
from  Barthelemi.  These  go  to  restore  the  Netherlands 
and  Holland,  if  we  gave  back  the  Islands,  but  to  keep  the 
Rhine  as  their  frontiers.  Elector  of  Mentz  to  propose 
peace  on  the  terms  of  that  of  Munster,  or  to  continue  the 
war  with  more  vigour.  /  disapprove  every  measure 
which,  at  this  moment,  can  put  peace  into  people's  heads. 
The  terms  of  France  inadmissable — the  proposition  of  the 
Elector  useless  and  dangerous— Sweden  to  be  solicited  to 
come  forward  as  the  only  guarantee  of  the  peace  of 
Munster.  Coadjutor  recommends  that  the  Elector  of 
Hanover  should  vote  always  with  the  Emperor,  and  that 
the  Emperor  should  put  the  whole  conduct  of  the  war  into 
Marshal  Lang's  hands.  Germany  vastly  rich— equal  in 
men  and  money  to  France. 


142  DIAKIES   AND    CORRESPONDENCE.  [l794. 


EXTRACTS    OF    A    DESPATCH    FROM    LORD    MALMESBURY    TO 

LORD    GREXVILLE. 

Frankfort,  21st  Oct.,  1794. 

As  the  Coadjutor  and  myself  were  not  talking  officially, 
and  as  my  object  Avas  much  more  to  get  information  from 
him  than  to  convince  him,  I  did  not  hold  it  necessary  to 
enter  into  a  regular  discussion  with  him  on  this  occasion  ; 
it  is  equally  unnecessary  for  me  to  make  any  comment 
upon  what  I  heard  to  your  Lordship  ;  it  will,  I  presume, 
strike  you  in  the  same  light  it  does  me,  particularly 
should  it  correspond  with  the  intelligence  you  may  re- 
ceive from  other  quarters  ;  I  must,  however,  subjoin  as  a 
further  motive  for  suspicion,  that  it  is  supposed  the  Co- 
adjutor is  a  little  infected  with  the  principles  of  the 
Ro.'^e-croix  and  Illumines. 

The  reflections  to  which  this  gives  rise,  naturally  lead 
me  to  a  subject  which  has  long  since  struck  me  as  one  of 
the  most  alarming  circumstances  attending  thig  very  cri- 
tical juncture,  viz.,  the  progress  of  the  French  opinions  in 
Germany  :  I  do  not  mean  precisely  the  exaggerated  ones 
which  now  prevail  in  France,  but  those  which  first  began 
the  Pievolution  there  ;  which,  perhaps,  even  oriqinated 
amongst  those  who  call  themselves  men  of  letters  in  this 
country  ;  which  have  long  since  been  instilled  into  the 
minds  of  the  rising  generation  here,  most  insidiously  and 
plausibly  by  the  professors  of  the  different  Universities, 
and  which,  if  they  once  get  head,  would  soon  overthrow  a 
fabric  so  tottering  and  so  complicated,  l)ut  at  the  same 
time  so  important  to  be  preserved,  as  that  of  the  German 
Constitution. 

The  nobility,  the  gentry,  and  large  capitalists  in  this 
town  and  neighbourhood,  the  most  populous  and  most 
independent  in  Germany,  cannot  be  made  to  understand 
the  <langer  with  which  "they  are  threatened,  and  which  is 
at  their  very  gates. 

They  all  are  clamorous  for  peace,  and  by  the  most 
fatal  error  which  ever  perverted  the  human  understand- 
ing, attribute  the  evils  of  war  and  its  duration,  not  to  the 


1794.]  BERLIN.  143 

enemy,  wlio  is  endeavouring  so  strenuously  to  destroy 
them,  but  to  the  verj^  powers  who  are  endeavouring  to 
rescue  them  from  destruction. 

Tliey  are,  in  a  manner,  stunned  into  security,  and  it  is 
as  impossible  to  awaken  them  to  a  sense  of  their  danger, 
as  it  is  to  rouse  in  them  a  due  spirit  of  resistance  and 
indignation. 

To  every  attempt  of  this  kind  which  I  have  made,  I 
receive  for  answer,  "  England  finds  its  account  in  the  war, 
and  only  wants  to  engage  us  to  continue  from  views  of 
ambition  and  conquest.'^ 

It  is  useless  to  argue  against  such  miserable  reasoning, 
as  it  would  be  childish  to  resent  it ;  but  it  is  impossible 
not  to  be  deeply  affected  when  we  see  an  immense 
country  like  this,  abounding  at  this  moment  with  wealth, 
and  possessing  within  itself  alone,  means  sufficient  to 
resist  and  repel  all  the  efforts  of  France,  poisoned  with 
doctrines  and  prejudices  which  falsify  all  its  faculties, 
and  make  those  very  powers  which  ought  to  ensure  its 
safety,  act  as  instruments  to  forward  its  destruction. 

This  must  be  attributed  to  what  I  said  above,  to  the 
influence  of  a  few  artful  but  clever  men,  to  whom  the 
education  of  the  younger  part  of  the  country  is  entrusted, 
who  have  acquired  a  footing  and  ascendancy  in  all  the  great 
and  rich  families.  These  act  slowly,  but  surely  and  syste- 
matically, on  uninformed  and  indolent  minds.  They  divert 
and  govern  all  their  operations  ;  they  never  lose  sight  of 
their  object ;  they  turn  every  incident,  and  apply  every 
event  to  their  final  purpose,  which  is  the  establishing 
universally  a  new  order  of  things,  which,  though  they 
may  think  it  safer  and  wiser  if  it  is  brought  about  less 
rapidly  and  more  humanely  than  by  the  French  Pvevolution, 
has  for  its  object,  the  same  levelling  and  destructive  prin- 
ciple. 

This  sentiment,  I  am  sure,  prevails  in  the  Prussian 
army.  A  spirit  of  party  and  perhaps  corruption  may 
influence  the  conduct  of  some  of  its  principal  Commanders  ; 
but  there  is  besides  this,  strong  taint  of  democracy  amongst 
the  body  of  officers  and  men,  and  a  dislike  to  the  cause 
for  which  they  ought  to  be  fighting. 


144  DIARIES   AND    CORUESPONDENCE.  [l794. 

I  am  told  something  very  nearly  of  the  same  sort  is  to 
be  found  in  the  Austrian  army  ;  and,  if  this  is  the  case, 
we  must  never  look  for  resistance  in  them,  much  less  ex- 
pect victory.  We  may  (if  we  admit  tliis  disagreeable  con- 
sideration) account  for  a  retreat  of  an  hundred  leagues, 
for  the  surrender  of  so  many  towns  on  the  first  summons, 
and  for  all  our  misfortunes  since  the  22nd  of  May,  and 
consider  the  situation  in  which  the  jMaritime  Powers  stand 
as  one  into  which  they  have  been  drawn  in  order  to  effect 
the  most  fatal  of  all  purposes. 


October,  17,  18,  19. — Romanzoff.  Much  talk — he 
right,  but  all  for  French  Princes — agrees  with,  but  not 
au  fait,  or  trusted  by  his  Court —  supposes  deep  plans 
long  since  concerted  to  force  the  Maritime  Powers  to 
peace — that  all  the  ill  successes  have  been  contrivances. 
Great  Jacobin  party  in  Germany,  particularly  about  Ham, 
and  in  Westphalia. 


Oct.  20. — In  the  evening,  Lieut.-Colonel  Don  from  the 
Duke  of  York  with  letters  to  MoUendorff — his  wish  that 
the  Prussian  army  should  defend  the  right  side  of  the 
Rhine  as  far  as  Bonne,  and  he  to  Gorcum.'"' 


Oct.  21. — Colonel  Don  goes  to  Prussian  head-quarters 
near  JVIayence — returns  on  the  22nd.  IVlarshal  MoUen- 
dorff crusty  before  dinner,  better  tempered  after  it. 


EXTRACTS    OF   A    DESPATCH    FEO.M    LORD   MALMESBURY    TO 

LORD    GRENVILLE. 

Frankfort,  23r(l  Oct.,  1794. 

I  WAS  on  the  point  of  sending  Courvoisier  aAvay  witli 
my  despatch  of  the  21st,  wliich  I  thought  of  sufficient 

"  Lord  (Troiivillo  liaJ  sent  tVcsli  instructions  that  tlie  subsidy  should  con- 
tinue, if  McillendortF  agreed  to  the  Duke  oi'  York's  jdan. 


1794.]  BERLIN.  145 

importance  to  be  communicated  hy  a  messenger,  when 
Lieut.-Colouel  Don  arrived  from  the  Duke  of  York,  and 
brought  me  letters  from  His  Royal  Highness  and  jour 
Lordships  of  the  10  th  instant. 

N'o  answer  Avas  then  or  has  yet  been  given  by  Baron 
Hardenberg  to  the  note  of  the  11th,  and  this  Minister 
continues  to  declare  that  his  hands  are  tied  up,  till  he 
receives  orders  from  the  King ;  and  on  the  other  side  Mar- 
shal Mollendorff  (without  waiting  for  those  orders)  has 
not  ceased  to  declare  from  the  moment  he  received  Baron 
Jacol)i's  account  of  his  conference  with  ]\Ir.  Pitt,  that  he 
considered  the  Subsidiary  Treaty  as  at  an  end,  and  no 
further  connection  as  subsisting  between  him  and  the 
Ministers  of  the  iVIaritime  Powers. 

It  was,  therefore,  without  any  prospect  of  success,  that 
Baron  Kinckel  and  myself  could  take  any  step  here  in 
virtue  of  these  new  instructions,  neither  could  we  enter- 
tain any  hopes  that  any  representations  of  ours  (circum- 
stanced as  we  now  are)  would  engage  the  Prussian  com- 
mander to  aiford  any  attention  to  the  very  reasonable  pro- 
posal made  by  the  Duke  of  York,  although  it  rested  on 
grounds  of  the  most  urgent  necessity,  and  regarded  as 
closely  the  interests  of  His  Prussian  ]\Iajesty  as  those  of 
England  and  Holland. 

After  making  Lieutenant-Colonel  Don  acquainted  wdth 
the  outlines  of  what  had  passed  here,  and  giving  him  such 
general  lights  on  the  character  of  Marshal  ^lollendorfF, 
and  of  those  who  surround  him,  as  might  make  him 
acquainted  with  their  characters,  I  advised  him  to  go  to 
the  Prussian  head-quarters,  a  league  beyond  Mentz  ;  I  re- 
commended him  not  to  refer  to  the  Treaty,  but  to  ground 
his  proposal  on  military  expediency,  and  particularly  on 
the  j\Iilitary  Convention  of  26tli  July,'"'  in  which  the  exist- 
ing case  is  provided  for  in  the  way  we  wish  ;  and  I  de- 
sired him,  if  the  Marshal  should  consider  that  Convention 
also  as  annulled,  to  bring  to  his  recollection  his  own 
secret  article,  the  strict  performance  of  which  would 
go  still  nearer  our  wishes  than  that  of  the  Convention 
itself 

*  Between  Prince  Albert  and  Mollendorff. 
VOL.   III.  L 


14(1  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [l794. 

Lieutenant-Colonel  Don  acquitted  himself  with  great 
address  of  his  commission  ;  he  found  Marshal  MollendorfF 
harsh  and  unguarded  in  his  expressions,  precisely  as  I  have 
ever  found  hira.  He  was  told  by  him  abruptly  that  the 
Treaty  was  at  an  end  ;  that  he  had  nothing  to  do  with 
any  plan  of  cooperation  either  with  the  Duke  of  York  or 
General  Clairfayt  ;  that  his  army  was  going  to  pass  the 
Rhine,  and  that  he  had  orders  from  the  King  what  he  was 
to  do.  It  is  probable  that  he  has  replied  nearly  to  this 
effect,  and  not  in  very  civil  terms  to  the  letters  Colonel 
Don  brought  him  from  llis  Royal  Highness  and  General 
Clairfayt,  as  he  wrote  those  answers  immediately  after  he 
had  read  the  letters  and  gave  them  to  Colonel  Don  sealed 

On  the  Colonel's  mentioning  to  him  the  Convention  of 
the  26th,  the  Marshal  declared  that  also  to  be  void  ; 
neither  would  he  admit  its  being  still  in  force,  although 
it  is  manifestly  an  engagement  made  between  him  and 
the  Austrian  commanders,  and  relates  no  further  to  the 
Maritime  Powers,  than  from  its  having  received  their 
sanction  through  myself  and  Baron  Kinckel.  He  was 
rather  embarrassed  on  Colonel  Don's  bringing  forward 
the  secret  article,'''  with  which  he  did  not  suppose  him 
acquainted,  and  which  your  Lordship  will  recollect  was  one 
of  his  own  drawing  up,  contrary  to  all  custom  and  rule, 
and  he  endeavoured  by  every  kind  of  means  to  give  the 
conversation  another  turn.  After  dinner  the  Marshal 
softened  his  manners,  and  of  his  own  accord  renewed  the 
subject  with  much  more  temper  and  more  practicability 
than  he  had  treated  it  before.  He  admitted  the  neces- 
sity of  doing  something  for  the  defence  of  the  Dutch  Re- 
public, and  went  so  far  as  to  tell  Colonel  Don  the  general 
disposition  he  was  ordered  to  make  of  his  army  :  20,000 
men,  he  said,  were  to  leave  the  Rhine  and  move  towards 
Southern  Prussia,  and  15,000  men  under  General  Kal- 
kreuth  were  to  march  to  Westphalia,  and  the  remainder  to 
continue  in  this  neighbourhood.  The  body  of  men  des- 
tined for  Westphalia  goes  so  very  near  to  meet  our  wishes, 

*  Extcndiiii,'  the  period  of  time  cmitiiiiUMl  in  the  main  ])lan  of  tlic  Military 
Concert,  and  relating  to  the  treatment  of  expected  acquisitions. 


1794.]  BERLIN.  147 

that  Lieutenant-Colonel  Don  heard  it  with  satisfaction, 
and  pressed  its  immediate  march.  The  Marshal,  however, 
replied,  that  it  would  be  ten  days  before  this  corps  could 
be  put  in  motion  ;  and  I  own  I  fear  this  is  not  from  any 
real  difficulty  in  doing  it  sooner,  but  in  order  to  receive 
an  answer  from  the  King  of  Prussia  to  letters  the  Marshal 
wrote  to  him  on  Sunday  last.  I  do  not  exactly  know 
the  contents  of  these  letters,  but  they  are  certainly  not 
friendly  to  the  cause. 


Oct.  24. — Prussians  cross  the  Rhine,  and  come  to  llock- 
heim.     Mayence  defended  by  Austrians. 


EXTRACTS    OF  A   DESPATCH    FROM    LORD    MALMESBURY    TO   LORD 

GRENVILLE, 

Frankfort,  26th  Oct.,  1794. 

I  DO  not  lose  a  moment  in  transmitting  to  your  Lord- 
ship by  a  special  messenger,  the  enclosed  Note  which 
Baron  Hardenberg  delivered  yesterday  to  Baron  Kinckel 
and  myself,  as  an  answer  to  that  we  gave  him  on  the 
11th  instant. 

This  town  is  now  completely  under  military  Prussian 
government,  and  the  authority  of  governor  is  exercised 
by  Count  Schulenberg,  in  a  most  arbitrary  and  unjustifi- 
able manner. 

1  shall  take  the  greatest  pains  to  avoid  every  kind  of 
disagreeable  discussion  with  him,  and  I  have  requested 
several  officers  belonging  to  the  corps  to  be  raised  for  His 
Majesty's  service  by  Count  Viomenil,  to  remove  beyond 
the  jurisdiction  of  this  town,  in  order  that  they  may  not 
be  sent  out  of  it  by  a  Prussian  mandate,  which  it  would 
be  extremely  improper  for  me  to  pass  over  in  silence,  and 
highly  disagreeable  to  remonstrate  against  without  effect, 
which  most  certainly  would  be  the  case. 

The  whole  Prussian  army  have  now  passed  the  Rhine, 
and  I  expect  to-morrow  or  next  day  to  hear  that  the 
French  have  shewn  themselves  near  Mentz.     The  Aus- 

L    2 


148  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [l794. 

trians  evacuated  the  town  of  Col)lentz  on  the  21st,  and 
retired  to  the  fortress  of  Ehrenbreitzein  on  the  opposite 
side  of  the  river. 


INCLOSURE. 


A  Francfoit,  S.  M.  le  25  Oct.  1794. 

Le  soussign4  Ministre  d'Etat  et  du  Cabinet  de  Sa  Ma- 
jest6  le  Roi  de  Prusse,  ayant  re^u  les  ordres  de  son  Sou- 
verain  au  sujet  de  la  Note  que  Messieurs  les  Pl^nipoten- 
tiaires  de  Sa  Majesty  Britannique  et  de  Leurs  Hautes 
Puissances  les  Seigneurs  Etats-Gen^raux  des  Provinces 
Unies,  le  Lord  Malmesburj  et  le  Baron  de  Kinckel,  lui 
ont  remise  le  onzi^me  du  courant,  se  voit  en  etat  de  leur 
r^pondre  :  qu'on  aurait  ^te  pret  de  se  concerter  sur  le'xe- 
cution  de  tons  les  plans  possibles  d'apres  les  circonstances ; 
mais  que  depuis  la  suspension  du  pavement  des  subsides 
stipules,  il  ne  pouvait  plus  en  etre  question  du  tout,  Sa 
Majesty  regardant  cette  suspension  comme  une  rupture 
du  Trait6  de  la  Haye;  que  du  reste  le  Baron  de  Jacobi 
6tait  charg6  de  s'expliquer  sur  cette  affaire  a  Londres,  et 
d'y  faire  connaitre  les  resolutions  du  Roi. 

(Sign6)         Hardenberg.'" 


Oct.  29  and  30. — Don  goes  to  see  Prince  Hohenlohe 
and  to  Darmstadt. 


Nov.  2. — Slater  brings  me  my  recall. 


*  This  impudent  note  from  Hardcnbevg  crowns  tlie  folly  and  dishonesty 
of  the  Prussian  Government.  Tliere  can  scarcely  be  found  in  history  a 
breach  of  faith  so  quickly  following  a  political  engagement,  and  so  manifestly 
fatal  to  the  criminal  himself.  In  the  dishonour  and  degradation  which  fell 
afterwards  upon  Prussia  and  her  Royal  Family  England  received  a  melan- 
choly atonement  for  the  baseness  of  her  ally. 


1794.]  BERLIN,  149 


EXTRACT    OF    A   DESPATCH    FROM   LORD    GRENVILLE    TO   LORD 

MALilESBURY. 

24th  Oct.,  1794. 

I  HAVE  the  honour  to  transmit  to  your  Lordship  tlie 
minute  of  a  conference  which  I  had  yesterday  with  Baron 
Jacobi,  in  which  that  Minister  made  to  me  a  verbal  com- 
munication of  the  orders  actually  given  by  the  King  his 
master  to  withdraw  his  army  from  the  Rhine.  It  is 
wholly  unnecessary  for  me  to  enter  the  discussion  of  the 
different  arguments  by  which  this  resolution  is  attemjDted 
to  be  defended  by  the  Court  of  Berlin.  You  are  suffi- 
ciently acquainted  with  all  that  has  passed  to  be  able  to 
shew  unanswerably,  that  the  King  has  on  his  part  gone 
far  beyond  what  good  faith  would  have  required  in  the 
performance  of  the  Convention  of  the  Hague,  and  that 
the  conduct  of  Prussia  has  been  such  as  to  evince  the 
most  settled  determination  to  elude  all  its  engagements. 

In  tlie  present  state  of  things  His  Majesty  does  not 
think  it  necessary,  that  your  Lordship  should  remain  on 
the  Rhine,  and  I  have  the  King's  commands  to  convey  to 
you  His  Majesty's  most  gracious  permission  to  return 
home,  first  delivering  to  Baron  Hardenberg  a  formal  Memo- 
rial, stating  the  grounds  which  prove  the  justice  and  good 
faith  of  His  Majesty's  conduct  in  the  whole  of  this  trans- 
action, and  the  evident  bad  faith  of  Prussia,  particularly 
as  evinced  in  this  last  determination. 

I  have  at  the  same  time  the  satisfaction  of  being  per- 
mitted to  assure  your  Lordship,  that  however  unsuc- 
cessful your  endeavours  have  been,  in  execution  of  His 
Majesty's  commands,  to  procure  a  more  cordial  coopera- 
tion of  the  Prussian  army,  and  to  induce  Marshal  Mol- 
lendorff  to  execute  with  more  exactness  the  different 
engagements  entered  into  by  his  Court,  the  King  is 
entirely  satisfied  that  the  failure  is  in  no  degree  to 
be  imputed  to  any  omission  on  your  Lordship's  part,  but 
that  the  same  zeal  and  talents  have  been  exerted  by 
your  Lordship  on  this  occasion,  as  have  so  often  before 
been  employed  so  beneficially  to  His  Majesty's  service. 


150  DIARIES  AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [l794. 

Monday,  Nov.  3. — I  give  in  my  Memorial— redespatcli 
Slater  ou  Tuesday  4.  Hardenberg,  who  returned  on  the 
day  he  said,  hurt  and  dejected.  Prussians  evidently 
tampering  with  France.     Meyerinck  going  to  Basle. 


Friday,  Nov.  7. — At  one  o'clock  p.m.  leave  Frankfort 
— Crauford  rides  with  me  part  of  the  way  to  Friedberg. 
Roads  good  for  four  leagues — two  last  detestable.  Leave 
Friedberg  at  7 — get  to  JMarburg  at  7— in  twelve  hours, 
although  only  seven  miles — first  stage  execrable — rest 
better — country  fine. 


Sunday,  Nov.  9.— Leave  Marburg  at  6.  Get  to  Cassel 
at  9 — roads  tolerable,  but  ill  driven.  Monday  at  Cassel 
— hear  that  the  Duke  of  Brunswick  has  declined  the  com- 
mand— see  his  letter  to  the  King — he  rests  it  on  the  want 
of  unanimity  amongst  the  Combined  PoAvers. 


Nov.  11.— Leave  Cassel  at  10.  Get  to  Gottingen  by  6 
— roads  good — beautiful  view  on  the  hill  beyond  Cassel. 
Pass  through  Miinden— charming  situation.  The  Fulde 
falls  into  the  Weser,  Hanover  begins  at  three  English 
miles  from  Cassel.     Gottingen  large  town. 


Nov.  12.— Left  Gottingen  at  9— Slept  short  at  Eimbeck 
— only  four  miles — roads  very  good— five  hours  going  it — 
passed  tbrough  Nordheim — a  moderate  town.  Left  Eim- 
beck on  Thursday,  November  13— seven  miles  and  a  half 
to  Hanover— got  there  at  five.  Sir  W.  Boothby  called  on 
me.  Madame  de  Croquenbourg,  dame  d'honneur  to  the 
Archduchess  Christine,  told  me  that  the  Archduchess 
said  to  her,  on  looking  at  the  light  and  close-sitting 
breeches  the  men  wear,  "  Ce  sont  ces  mauditcs  culottes 
qui  ont  pcrdues  ma  i)auvrc  soeur  la  Koine  de  France." 


I7i)4.]  151 


BRUNSWICK. 


[Lord  Malmesbiiry  now  received  His  Majesty's  com- 
mands to  demand  the  Princess  Caroline  of  Brunswick  for 
the  Prince  of  Wales.  He  had  them  from  the  King  himself, 
with  no  discretionary  power  to  give  advice  or  information 
to  His  ]\Iajesty  or  the  Government  on  the  principal  sub- 
ject of  this  mission.  It  will  be  seen,  therefore,  that  pub- 
licly he  confined  himself  strictly  to  its  execution,  although 
in  private  he  did  all  he  could  to  prepare  his  eccentric 
charge  for  her  high  elevation.] 

November  14. — Count  Kielmansegge"^'  with  me — he  the 
first  of  the  Regency,  now  composed  of  six  members — 
Alvensleben,  Kielmansegge,  Ende,  Beuhvitz,  Arnshaldt, 
and  Steinberg,  the  Secretary  Rudloff  supposed  to  be  the 
efficient  man.  Count  Kielmansegge  very  anxious  to  know 
when  demand  of  the  Princess  to  take  place — very  civil. 

I  receive  my  nomination  to  ask  the  Princess  Caroline 
of  Brunswick  for  Prince  of  Wales,  in  form  by  the  post 
— dine  at  Court — ladies  in  their  diamonds — very  fine 
dinner — pages  wait.  Write — return  to  Court  and  cards 
— sup  with  Madame  Waggenheim,  Madame  de  Walmoden 
— Madame  de  Beaulieu,  &c.  Madame  Walmoden  f  quick 
and  sensible,  but  rather  manly — Madame  Waggenheim 
full  of  questions — disagreeable,  but  vastly  attentive. 
Elliot  arrives  from  Brunswick. 


Saturday,  Nov.   1.5. — Walk  round  the  ramparts  with 
Sir  B.  Boothby  and  Elliot— pleasant  and  well  kept.   Elliot 

*  Minister  of  State  and  of  the  Regency. 

t  General  Wahnoden  commanded  the  army  in  the  retreat  from  Holland 
in  1794. 


152  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [l79I. 

gives  me  an  account  of  the  Duke's  motives  for  declining 
the  command,  evidently  arising  from  an  apprehension  of 
displeasing  Prussia.  Dinner  at  Count  Kielmansegge's — 
the  same  as  at  Court — cards  in  the  evening.  Beulwitz 
there — an  ill-favoured  man — said  to  be  clever  and  in- 
dustrious— very  fond  of  Hertzberg,  and  not  unlike  him 
in  his  manners — his  wife  dull.     Marshal  Reden  eighty. 


Sui\DAY,  Nov.  16. — AValk  to  Herenhausen  with  Elliot — 
dinner  at  home.  Assembly  at  Madame  '"'  ""■■  ■^"'  '"",  wife  to 
the  Grand  Chambellan — very  large  woman  —  honne  amie 
to  Kielmansegge.  Wliist — supper  at  Madame  de  Waggen- 
heim's — pleasant. 

Monday,  Nov.  1 7.— Elliot  returned  early  to  Brunswick. 
I  desired  him  to  prepare  the  way  for  my  coming  there 
before  I  got  my  credentials — always  the  same  society — 
cards.     Supper  at  Madame  Walmoden's. 


Tuesday,  Nov.  18. — Long  walk  out  of  the  town.  Great 
dinner  at  Beulwitz — cards  afterwards — he  enters  into  a 
discussion  with  me  on  what  is  passing  at  Ratisbonne — asks 
my  opinion  and  advice. 


Wednesday,  Nov.  10. — Leave  Hanover  at  ten — get  to 
Peine,  five  miles,  at  five  in  the  evening  —  sleep  there — 
decent  inn  at  the  post. 


Thursday,  Nov.  28. — Leave  Peine  at  eight — get  to 
Brunswick  at  half-past  eleven — three  miles — roads  l)ad — 
hard  frost.  Grand  Marechal  ]\Iuncliausen  calls  upon  me 
immediately— offers  an  apartment  in  the  palace — ser- 
vants, carriage,  &c.  Invitation  from  the  Ducliess  to  dine 
— she  receives  me  most  kindly — all  good-nature,  and  he, 
as   usual,   civil,   Ijut    reserved    and    stiff.     The    Princess 


1794.]  BRUNSWICK.  153 

Caroline  (Princess  of  Wales)  mucli  embarrassed  on  my 
first  being  presented  to  her — pretty  face — not  expressive 
of  softness — her  figure  not  graceful — fine  eyes — good  hand 
— tolerable  teeth,  but  going — fair  hair  and  light  eye- 
brows, good  bust — short,  with  what  the  French  call  "  des 
epaules  impertinentes."  Vastly  happy  iv'ith  her  future  ex- 
pectations. The  Duchess  full  of  nothing  else — talks  inces- 
santly. Home  for  an  hour,  then  return  to  Court — ball — 
danced  with  the  Princesse  Her^ditaire,  and  Princess  Caro- 
line— the  first  not  at  all  altered — very  amiable  and  plea- 
sant— ombre  with  the  Duchess  and  Mons.  de  Preene,  her 
Grand  Maitre.  )Supper  at  round  tables — Duke  did  not 
stay — retire  at  eleven. 


Friday,  Nov.  21.  —  The  Landgravine  (dowager)  of 
Cassel  arrived.  I  take  possession  of  the  palace  destined 
for  me  by  the  Court — a  valet-de-chambre,  a  concierge, 
three  footmen,  and  carriage — two  sentinels  at  the  door — 
the  palace,  that  occupied  by  the  late  Duke  Ferdinand — 
very  spacious,  and  well  furnished.  Called  on  Madame  de 
Merode — driven  here  from  the  Low  Countries — all  their 
property  (not  less  than  forty  estates)  in  possession  of  the 
French — they  have  brought  away  some  money.  Dined  at 
Court  in  the  great  apartments — all  the  family  there — 
Duchess  Dowager,  now  seventy-eight,  not  much  altered 
from  what  I  remember  her  twenty  years  ago — Princess 
Augusta,  now  Abbess  of  Gandersheim,  very  much  altered 
— immense  dinner  —  conversation  with  the  Duke,  on 
whose  right  hand  I  sat — he  against  peace— rails  at  Prus- 
sia and  Austria — keeps  to  general  terms,  and  although 
apparently  agreeing  with  me  in  opinion,  yet  cautiously 
avoiding  to  commit  himself — supper  at  Duchess  Dowager's 
— whist  with  her,  and  the  Landgravine. 


Saturday,  Xov.  22, — With  Stampfort'"  —  he   informs 
me  of  his  commission — he  was  first  to  ofier  the  command 

*  Stanipfort,    a  general   in   the  Dutcli   service,  preceptor  to   the   young 
Prince  of  Orange;  a  verj'  able  man  and  an  excellent  writer. —  Original  Note. 


154  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [l794. 

to  the  Duke — this  being  declined,  now  to  propose  his 
going  to  Holland — he  reads  me  several  letters  from  the 
Duke  to  him,  and  says  the  Duke  is  afraid  of  Prussia,  and 
unless  he  has  a  letter  or  message  from  Ilis  Prussian 
Majesty  desiring  him  to  go,  that  he  will  not  stir — that 
he  (Stampfort)  to  endeavour  to  promote  such  a  letter  on 
the  part  of  the  King  of  Prussia,  had  met  Pteeden""'  at 
Magdebourg,  and  that  he  expected  to  hear  the  effect  of 
their  negotiation  on  Monday — he  despaii'ed  of  success. 
Stampfort  blamed  without  reserve  their  conduct  at  Nime- 
guen,  which,  he  asserted,  there  was  no  good  reason  for 
evacuating — he  disapproved  of  Bentinck  having  been  sent 
here.     (N.B. — This  is  a  personal  feeling.). 

On  my  return  from  him,  and  just  as  I  was  going  to 
send  away  Courvoisier,  Fabian  arrived  with  instructions 
for  me  to  come  on  here  (I  had  already  obeyed  them), 
and  to  propose  to  the  Duke  to  accept  the  command,  or 
else  go  to  Holland  to  give  his  advice  and  assistance. 
Previous  to  the  receiving  these  instructions,  I  had  writ- 
ten to  the  Duke  of  York,  to  endeavour  to  get  at  his 
real  wishes  and  intentions ;  I  had  also  written  to  the 
Prince  of  Wales,  but  both  these  letters,  which  were  to 
have  gone  by  Courvoisier,  were  now  detained  for  a  day 
or  two. 

Dinner  at  the  Duchess  Dowager's  f — great  anxiety  and 
curiosity  to  know  whether  my  messenger  brought  me  my 
full  powers,  and  great  disappointment  at  hearing  he  had 
not.  I  took  an  opportunity  of  mentioning  to  the  Duke 
that  I  wished  to  speak  with  him,  and  he  appointed  me  at 
my  own  house  the  following  day — Ducliess  very  inquisi- 
tive— against  his  taking  the  command,  not  for  his  going 
to  Holland — said  she  knew  his  refusal  had  hurt  the 
Prince  very  much — she  talked  of  Edward  Duke  of  York 
as  her  favourite  brother — said  she  recollected  he  liked 
my  father  —  praised  the  Duke  of  Gloucester  —  abused 
the  Queen,  who,  she  said,  was  an  envious  and  intri- 
guing spirit — told  several  anecdotes  to  this  effect  on  her 
first   coming   over — that   she   disliked  her  mother  (the 

*   Diitfli  Miiiisln-  !tt  Ri'ilin.  t   Sister  »«i  Cu'oiiir  tlio  Tliiid. 


175)4.]  BRUNSWICK.  155 

Princess  of  Wales)  and  herself — was  extremely  jealous  of 
them  —  took  an  opportunity  while  the  Princess  of  Wales 
Avas  dying  to  alter  the  rank  of  her  ladies  of  the  bed- 
chamber.— King  very  good,  but  not  liable  to  deep  impres- 
sions —  talked  slightingly  of  the  Duke  of  York  —  said  he 
behaved  badly  here  to  his  Duchess — I  defended  him — she 
reprobated  his  conduct  at  Hanover,  and  particularly  that 
towards  his  old  flame,  Madame  de  '"  '"*  '"  '"  to  whom,  on 
his  return  to  England  with  the  Duchess,  he  did  not  speak 
—  the  Duchess  of  York,  she  said,  behaved  vastly  well  on 
this   occasion.     She    then   got   on   the  marriage  of  her 
daughter — acquainted  me  with  all  the  injunctions  and 
advice  she  had  given  her,  which  were  very  excellent — de- 
clared her  own  intention  of  never  coming  to  England — 
that  she  was  sure  she  should  be  uncomfortable  there, 
anxl  give  rise  to  all  sorts  of  jealousy  and  suspicion — said 
she  had  had   enough  of  that  —  praised  exceedingly  her 
daughter-in-law,    the   hereditary   Princess,   and  admired 
particularly  her  behaviour  to  her  son — "  Had  I  married 
such  a  man  as  Charles,"  she  said,    "I  never  could  have  be- 
haved so".     Abused  the  Landgravine  of  Hesse,  and  her 
sisters  the  Duchess  of  Wurtemberg,  and  Princess  of  Wur- 
temberg  —  told  me  that  the  Landgravine  was  once  thought 
of  for  the  King,  but  that  her  conduct  was  so  doubtful  that 
nobody  could  take  upon  them  to  recommend  her — all  the 
young  German  Princesses,  she  said,  had  learnt  English  in 
hopes  of  being  Princess  of  }¥ales — she  never  would  give  the 
idea  to  Caroline,  and  she  never  thought  it  could  happen,  as 
the  King  had  often  expressed  his  dislike  to  the  marriage 
of  cousins-german.     Nothing  could  be  so  open,  so  frank, 
and  so  unreserved,  as  her  manner,  nor  so  perfectly  good- 
natured  and  unaffected.     Of  the  King,  her  brother,  she 
said,  he  loved  her  very  much,  as  well  as  he  could  love 
anybody,  but  that  twenty  years  absence,  and  thirty  years 
living  with  the  Queen,  had  made  him  forget  her — yet  he 
was  very  kind  indeed  on  the  present  occasion.     In  the 
evening  with  M"^  de  Hertzfeldt — old  Berlin  acquaintance 
— now   Duke's  mistress — much  altered,   but   still   clever 
and  agreeable — full  of  lamentations  and  fears — says  the 
Duke  has  been  Q'uelly  used — abuses  King  of  Prussia — 


156  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [1704. 

she  always  thought  him  a  hete,  and  not  a  bonne  ^^^6— talks 
of  the  Illumines,  and  their  sects — her  apartment  elegantly 
furnished — and  she  herself  with  all  the  appareil  of  her 
situation — she  was  at  first  rather  ashamed  to  see  me,  but 
soon  got  over  it. 


Sunday,  Nov.  23. — Duke  of  Brunswick  came  according 
to  his  appointment  at  half-past  ten — I  told  him  en  gros 
my  instructions — he  took  a  paper  out  of  his  pocket, 
written  in  his  own  hand,  and  which  he  said  he  wished  to 
read  to  me,  that  I  might  be  the  more  au  fait  of  his  situa- 
tion, might  better  understand  the  motives  of  his  refusal 
to  take  the  command  of  the  army  and  the  grounds  on 
which  it  rested. 

This  paper  was  an  account  of  a  proposal  he  had  made 
in  writing  to  the  King  of  Prussia,  about  six  weeks  back, 
to  unite  with  the  English  and  Austrian  armies,  and  an 
offer  on  his  part  to  go  to  these  armies ;  not  to  take 
the  command,  but  to  superintend  the  execution  of  any 
general  plan  for  the  defence  of  Holland,  which  might 
be  agreed  on.  To  this  the  King  of  Prussia  answers  that 
the  Austrian  army  is  completely  disorganised — that  the 
Subsidiary  Treaty  with  England  is  broken,  and  that  Hol- 
land would  do  well  to  make  a  separate  peace  on  any 
terms.  The  paper  then  states  the  risk  of  taking  so  great 
a  charge  without  sufficient  means,  and  the  great  diffi- 
culty of  finding  these  means,  and  the  whole  rests  on  the 
impossibility  of  his  being  of  any  use,  unless  there  is  a  re- 
newal of  the  Convention  with  Prussia,  or  a  large  body  of 
Prussian  troops  insured  him.  After  the  Duke  had  read 
this  paper  to  me,  he  stated  his  own  particular  position — 
his  rank  of  ^larshal  in  the  Prussian  army — the  situation 
of  his  country — its  vicinity  to  Prussia — the  very  serious 
consequences  that  might  follow  to  himself  and  family  if 
he  was  to  irritate  the  King  of  Prussia.  After  a  great 
deal  of  language  to  this  effect,  he  ended  by  begging  me 
HI  the  strongest  manner  to  be  convinced  that  he  felt 
and  thought  precisely  as  I  did — saw  the  extreme  danger, 
and  the  urgent  necessity  of  applying  a  remedy,  and  that 


1704.]  BRUNSWICK.  157 

his  declining  the  offer  made  him,  arose  solely  from  his 
full  conviction  that  he  should  risk  the  loss  of  his  own 
honour,  &c.,  without  being  of  any  service,  unless  the 
means  were  insured,  and  these  he  could  not  conceive 
to  exist  but  by  having  a  body  of  Prussians  joined  to 
any  army  he  might  command.  In  reply  to  this,  I  stated 
to  him  the  present  relative  situation  of  the  Courts  of 
London  and  Berlin  ;  the  events  that  had  led  to  it,  and 
the  little  reason  there  was  to  hope  any  negotiation  could 
be  renewed,  or  if  renewed,  any  reliance  be  had  as  to  its 
execution.  I  put  various  papers  into  his  hands — my 
letter  to  Haugwiz  of  the  8th  July — my  Memorials  of 
the  11th  October,  and  also  a  copy  of  the  Convention 
of  the  26th  July.  I  told  him  he  would  see  from  tliese 
with  how  much  reason  I  asserted  the  little  hopes  of 
obtaining  any  effective  succours  from  Berlin.  I  then 
told  him  that  we  were  much  more  likely  to  draw 
it  from  Austria;  and  I  informed  him  of  the  great  pro- 
bability of  an  immediate  relief  to  the  amount  of 
25,000  men  coming  to  the  Duke  of  York,  and  the  ap- 
pearance of  measures  being  taken  this  winter  for  con- 
certing a  larger  support  from  that  country. 

The  Duke  expressed  a  disinclination  to  take  the  com- 
mand of  the  Austrians — he  said  the  men  were  good,  but 
the  officers  jacobinically  inclined  ;  that  the  Emperor  was 
weak,  RoUin  corrupted,  Ferrari,  a  democrat ;  and  that  he 
feared  that  nonsensical  sect  of  Illumines,  which  were 
laughed  at  and  treated  too  lightly  in  the  beginning,  had 
now  taken  such  a  root,  and  had  acquired  so  many  follow- 
ers, that  they  governed  everywhere.  He  said,  however,  he 
would  think  over  what  I  said — read  my  papers  at  his  lei- 
sure— that  he  expected  an  answer  from  Berlin  to-morrow ; 
in  short,  his  conversation  was  preparatory  either  to  an 
acceptance,  or  to  a  refusal.  lie  told  me  Schulenberg  was 
to  retire  on  a  pension,  and  that  Prince  Henry  had  re-ap- 
peared at  Potsdam,  and  was  paying  his  court  to  Haugwiz 
and  Bishopswerder. 

Dined  this  day  at  Court  with  the  Landgravine,  and 
returned  there  in  the  evening — Duchess,  as  usual,  verj^ 
communicative — vastly  anxious  I  should  be  satisfied. 


158  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [l794. 

Monday,  Nov.  24. — General  Stampfort  with  me.  Duke 
had  had  a  meeting  in  August  (the  14th,  I  believe,)  with 
the  Bishop  of  Hildesheim,  in  which  it  was  proposed  to 
him  to  take  the  command  of  the  Austrian  army  in  the 
room  of  Prince  Cobourff,  and  be  "  Gouverneur  Civil "  of 
the  Low  Countries  during  the  war.  Duke,  from  his 
answer,  inclined  to  accept,  l^ut  his  resolution  fails,  and 
the  proposal  is  not  renewed.  Duke  influenced  by  Feronce,'"' 
who  is  governed  by  his  wife,  who  is  a  democrat. — Dine 
with  Hereditary  Prince  at  three  o'clock — prepare  my 
letters — with  the  Duke  at  five,  in  his  own  apartment — 
he  declines  both  the  proposals — shews  me  his  answers 
from  King  of  Prussia  and  Bishopswerder — strange  and 
unaccountable,  but  making  it  evidently  appear  that  the 
Duke  instead  of  soliciting  the  King  of  Prussia's  consent, 
as  he  said  he  would,  had  expressed  in  very  clear  terms 
his  disinclination  to  take  the  command,  and  this  the 
King  of  Prussia  approves  strongly.  Bishopswerder's  letter 
very  short,  and  talks  of  "  intrigues  et  illusions,"  and  such 
a  one  as  he  should  not  write  to  the  Duke.  I  pressed  the 
Duke  with  every  argument  that  suggested  itself  to  me, 
but  in  vain  ;  he  seemed  struggling  bet'w^een  an  inclina- 
tion to  accept  an  offer  which  gratified  his  ambition,  and 
the  fear  of  Prussia — the  last  prevailed  :  he  said  he  could 
not  go  alone  and  unsupported.  I  told  him  he  would  have 
the  support  of  the  country  he  was  in,  and  of  England, 
and  that  /  was  ready  to  attend  him,  and  provided  he 
would  advise,  would  take  all  the  responsibility  on  myself : 
this  struck  him,  and  he  appeared  wavering  ;  he,  liow- 
ever,  ended  by  remaining  fixed  in  his  determination.  I 
proposed  to  him  to  accompany  Princess  of  Wales  to  Eng- 
land ;  to  this  he  gave  no  answer.  I  left  him  at  seven  to 
sup  at  the  Duchess  l^owagcr's,  and  at  ten  he  wrote  me 
a  letter  lest  I  should  have  mistaken  his  intention.  In 
the  conversation  he  employed  the  grossest  flattery  to- 
wards me,  said  /  alone  could  do  more  in  Holland  than 
he  and  a  large  army,  and  this  was  the  answer  he  always 
came  round  to  when  I  pressed  him — warm  in  his  profcs- 

*  Count  Feronce,  Minister  of  State  of  the  Duke  of  Brunswick  at  Bruns- 
wick. 


1794.]  BRUNSWICK.  159 

sions  of  right  principles.     Despatched  Fabian  (messenger) 
at  three  in  the  morning. 


Tuesday,  Nov.  25. — Dine  at  General  Riederel's — very 
good  people.  He  tells  me  that  Iloheniohe's  corps  is  or- 
dered to  the  Rhine — that  Warsaw  is  taken,  and  Prince 
Joseph  Poniatowski  and  his  corps  have  surrendered.  In 
the  evening  to  a  meeting  called  Cassino — cards  and 
dancing — sup  at  the  Hereditary  Princess's — quite  alone, 
no  one  but  myself  and  the  family  — she  all  kindness  and 
good  humour. 

Wednesday,  Nov.  26. — Walk  to  Richmond — pleasant 
house,  in  good  taste — about  one  mile  from  the  town — 
dine  there.  Duke  keeps  at  a  distance  from  me.  Assen- 
berg,  Russian  Minister  at  Ratisbonne  there  — married  to 
a  daughter  of  Count  Schulenberg  of  Welsburg.  To  the 
opera  in  the  evening — in  the  Duchess's  box — long  con- 
versation with  Princess  Augusta — clever  in  the  Beatrix 
way  — Princess  Caroline  improves  on  acquaintance,  is  gay 
and  cheerful,  with  good  sense.  Supped  at  Hereditary 
Princess's — very  pleasant  conversable  supper. 


Thursday,  Nov.  27. — Write  to  Frankfort.  Walk  on 
the  ramparts  with  Merode  and  Princess  Augusta.  Me- 
rode  gives  me  a  very  good  paper  of  his  writing  to  justify 
the  behaviour  of  the  Brabanc^^ons.    Dine  with  the  Duchess 


late.     Concert  in  the  evening. 


Friday,  November  28th. — General  Stampfort — shows  me 
letters  from  the  Duke,  all  proving  his  restless  ambition  to 
act,  yet  withheld  by  his  fear  of  Prussia. — Mentions  Prince 
Henry's  visit  to  him  in  October — called  it  "  une  visite  de- 
mocrate  en  manteau  royal." — Assures  me  that  Duraou- 
riez  "'•'  was  not  bribed.     Dinner  at  the  Duchess's. — Much 

*  Commander-in-chief  of  the  army  of  the  French  Republic. 


IGO  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [l794. 

conversation  with  tlie  Duke — all  to  the  same  eflect.  He 
did  not  like  Ewart.'"* — Abuses  Kalkreuth.  Letters  from 
Kinckel  and  Crauford  at  Frankfort.  i\Iejeriuck  re- 
turned "  avec  un  pied  de  nez."  Schulenberg  and  j\Iollen- 
dorfF  frightened.  Supper  and  ball  in  honour  of  the 
Princesse  H^reditaire's  birthday.  I  dance  till  one.  At 
all  these  meetings  I  play  with  the  Duchess  at  ombre. — 
She  said  that  Queen  Charlotte  was  very  much  hurt  at  the 
very  fine  diamond  ring  the  King  gave  her  (the  Duchess) 
as  a  "  bague  de  marriage,"  in  1764.— That  she  wanted  it 
back,  and  was  quite  peevish  about  it.  This  ring  and  a 
pair  of  bracelets,  the  only  diamonds  she  brought  with  her 
from  England.  Declared  she  never  would  allow  Caroline 
to  have  her  brothers  with  her — that  it  would  make  her 
unpopular — that  the  Queen  did  it  to  get  them  money — 
that  it  was  shabby,  &c.  Said  the  King  offered  her  a 
Princess  for  her  son,  if  she  would  let  him  first  come  over 
and  be  seen.  The  Duchess  replied,  "  that  Charles  was  a 
very  good-humoured,  harmless  boy — would  certainly  make 
a  good  husband,  but  she  would  not  send  him  over,  as  she 
was  quite  sure  if  he  was  to  show  himself,  none  of  the 
Princesses  would  have  him. 


Saturday,  Nov.  29. — More  letters  from  Frankfort  and 
Paris.  Overthrow  of  the  Jacobins  on  the  1 3th  K'ovember. 
Great  re-appearance  of  luxury,  &c.  —  carriages  and  dress 
there.  Walk  round  the  ramparts — dine  at  Duchess- 
Dowager's — dinner  for  me — she  vastly  attentive  —  talk 
about  the  late  King  of  Prussia,  and  old  times.  Supper  at 
Feronce's — like  all  large  suppers. 


Sunday,  Nov.  30th. — AValk  to  Ptichmond.  Dinner  and 
supper  with  the  Duchess  in  great  apartments — nothing 
material. — Puysegur  (the  ]\Iarquis)  very  right  on  French 
affairs — Stampford  told  me  that  Assenbourg  had  an  idea 
of  the  Duke's  going  to  Petersburg — nothing  can  be  more 
absurd. 

*  Formerly  English  Minister  at  Berlin. 


1794.]  BRUNSWICK.  161 

MoxDAY,  Dec.  1st. — East  (the  messenger)  arrives  at 
eiglit  o'clock — brings  mj  instructions  and  credentials. — 
With  the  Duchess  at  nine— she  delighted — anxious  to 
know  which  route  we  are  to  take — wishes  for  Stade. — 
"With  Feronce — settled  that  on  Wednesday  I  should  have 
my  audience.  No  difficulty  about  the  Treaty. — He  en- 
ters on  politics — artful  and  insincere — talks  of  what  is 
passing  at  the  diet  at  Ratisbonne — thinks  the  Duke's  going 
could  now  do  no  good.  The  Duchess  told  me  she  was 
sure  he  felt  himself  unequal  to  it — that  he  was  grown 
nervous,  and  had  lost  a  great  deal  of  his  former  energy. — 
She  said,  when  he  returned  from  Holland  in  1787,  he 
was  so  shaken,  and  his  nerves  so  worn  out,  that  he  did 
not  recover  for  a  long  time.  She  confirmed  what  I  long 
since  knew,  that  the  Duke  wants  decision  of  character, 
and  resolution.  Went  to  porcelain  manufactory — pretty 
and  cheap. — Dined  at  the  Hereditary  Princess's. — Talked 
over  Holland. — Sent  estafette  to  Hanover,  with  a  letter 
to  Kielmansegge.  Cassino.  Stampfort  at  the  Cassino — re- 
lates me  the  note  he  had  received  from  the  Duke,  in  which 
the  Duke  says  that  he  had  learnt  underhand  (through  Fe- 
ronce, probably,)  that  I  intended  to  see  him  again  on  his 
going  to  Holland. — Stampfort  with  him  for  two  hours — 
found  him  as  I  have  described  him,  agitated,  anxious  to 
go,  yet  not  resolute  enough  to  decide — fearful  of  seeing 
me,  and  intreating  Stampfort  to  prevent  my  coming  to  him 
on  this  subject. — Harping  always  on  Prussia — on  the  harm 
and  mischief  Prussia  could  and  would  infallibly  do  him,  if 
the  King  of  Prussia  was  displeased  with  him. — Stampfort 
urges  me  to  return. — I  hesitate  on  the  intelligence  I  have 
of  the  Dutch  being  actually  in  a  negotiation  for  a  separate 
peace  ;  and  from  being  uncertain  as  to  the  positive 
arrival  of  the  Austrians. 


Wednesday,  Dec.  3. — Day  fixed  for  my  audiences.  Major 
Hislop  and  a  messenger  arrive  at  eleven  from  the  Prince 
of  Wales.  He  brings  the  Prince's  picture,  and  a  letter 
from  him  to  me,  urging  me  vehemently  to  set  out  with  the 
Princess  Caroline  immediately.     At  one  the  Court  car- 

VOL.  III.  M 


162  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [l794. 

riages,  &c.,  come  to  fetch  me— (for  this  ceremonial,  see 
my  Correspondence).'" — Duke  answers  very  well — rather 

embarrassed. —  Duchess   overcome,   in   tears Princess 

Caroline  much  affected,  but  replies  distinctly  and  well. 
At  half-past  one  return  to  my  house  as  I  went,  and  then 
get  into  my  common  carriage  and  go  to  Duchess- Dow- 
ager's, and  Hereditary  Prince  and  Princess.  Immense 
dinner — great  Court,  with  compliments  of  felicitation 
afterwards.  Whist  with  Duchess,  Princess  Caroline  (who 
now  takes  the  rank  of  Princess  of  Wales)  and  Mr.  Elliot. 
Great  supper — Duke  sups— he  out  of  uniform,  and  wearing 
the  garter — explain  to  him  my  embarrassment  about  the 
Prince's  letter — he  (as  usual)  not  inclined  to  give  advice, 
or  an  opinion.  — ■  "  Nous  dependons  positivement  de 
vous,  my  Lord,  et  vous  ne  sauriez  mal  faire/'  were  his 
constant  answers. 


Thursday,  Dec.  4th. — At  eleven  Mons.  de  Feronce  and 
his  secretary  Oyigre  came  to  me  to  sign  the  ]\Iarriage 
Treaty.  It  was  drawn  up  in  English  and  Latin — I  objected 
to  French.  Word  for  word,  according  to  my  instructions, 
I  inserted  in  the  blank  Helvoetsluys,\  or  any  port  His 
Majesty  may  fix  upon.  Feronce  presents  me  with  a 
snuff-box  from  the  Duke,  and  a  diamond  watch  from  the 
Princess  Caroline.— He  gives  Mr.  Ross  1.50  ducats. j  Walk 
with  Duchess  in  the  garden— she  eager  to  go — very 
nervous  and  agitated,  but  all  goodness  and  good  humour. 
Recommends  her  daughter  to  me  most  anxiously — entreats 
me  to  be  her  adviser. — Great  dinner  at  Court.  Duchess 
tells  me  that  in  1762,  when  Lord  Bute  came  in,  it  was 
in  consequence  of  the   Duke    of   Devonshire  and   Lord 

*  I  have  not  thought  this  worth  puUisliing.     t  For  embarking  for  England. 

t  Mr.  Ross  was  Lord  Mahneshury's  Secretary  for  many  years,  and  attended 
him  in  most  of  his  missions,  and  afterwards  went  with  Lord  Granville  Leve- 
son  to  Petersburgh.  He  lived  for  the  last  twenty  years  of  a  long  life  at  a 
beautiful  cottage  on  the  Avon,  which  was  lent  him  by  his  jmtron,  where  I 
may  say  he  divided  his  pension  with  his  still  poorer  neighbours.  If  this 
attached  old  servant  to  my  family,  who  was  ever  the  most  useful  and  ]dea- 
sant  companion  of  my  childhood  and  youth  were  still  living,  my  scanty 
annotations  to  this  work  M'ould  not  have  needed  the  indulgence  which 
they  now  require. 


1794.]  BRUNSWICK.  ]  63 

Rockingham  going  to  the  King,  and  saying,  that  if  His 
Majesty  meant  to  be  directed  by  Lord  Bute's  counsels 
and  advice,  he  had  better  bring  him  forward  at  once. — 
This  he  did,  and  that  when  Lord  Bute  went  out  early 
in  1763,  that  it  was  because  he  thought  by  oiFering  his 
resignation  to  the  King,  that  His  Majesty  would  press 
him  to  remain  in,  and  add  to  his  power  and  influence  ; 
but  the  contrary  arrived :  and  the  Duchess  said,  her  mo- 
ther and  the  King  used  to  laugh  together  at  the  Rocking- 
hams  and  Lord  Bute  having  been  each  the  dupe  of  their 
cunning.  The  first  lost  their  offices  which  they  wanted 
to  keep,  and  the  latter  the  office  he  was  ambitious  of  re- 
taining.— Great  ball  and  supper — danced  with  the  two 
Princesses,  and  then  at  ombre  with  the  Duchess.  Very 
much  puzzled  how  to  decide  about  going — Duchess  presses 
it — Duke  cautious  to  a  ridiculous  degree  in  assisting  me. 
Princess  Caroline  in  a  hurry.  Prince  of  Wales's  wishes 
in  flat  contradiction  to  my  instructions.  Major  Hislop 
confirms  these  wishes,  and  that  expressed  in  the  Prince's 
letter  of  my  being  in  London  about  the  20th.  I  determine 
at  last  late  in  the  evening  to  write  to  him,  that  we  will 
set  out  on  the  11th,  if  before  that  day  I  receive  intelli- 
gence here  of  the  fleet  which  is  to  escort  us  having  sailed. 


Friday,  Dec.  5. — Early  with  the  Duchess,  to  com- 
municate to  her  my  decision,  and  to  desire  her  to  write 
to  the  Prince  in  conformity  to  it — very  difficult  to  make  it 
comprehensible  to  her.  I  gave  her  in  writing  the  words 
I  wished  her  to  use,  which  were  those  inserted  in  my 
own  letter  to  the  Prince.  Wrote  and  despatched  Fabian 
(messenger)  at  two.  Dinner  as  usual.  Duke  conversable 
to-day — enters  into  general  politics — recommends  trying 
to  do  something  through  Russia — tells  me  King  of  Prussia 
is  attempting  to  make  a  forced  loan  in  Germany — that  he 
has  written  to  Duke  of  Saxe  Gotha — Duke  of  Brunswick 
condemns  the  measure.  On  my  touching  on  Berlin,  and 
hinting  the  good  he  might  do  if  he  was  to  write  to 
the  King,  his  answer  was  quite  in  character,  "  Voulez 
vous,  my  Lord,  que  je  vous  parle  avec  franchise.     II  w'j 

M    2 


164  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [l794. 

a  que  vous,  my  Lord,  qui  puissiez  quelque  chose.  Je  sais 
qu'on  vous  craint  a  Berlin,  et  on  redoute  voire  anivee." 
Thus  does  this  very  clever,  but  cautious,  suspicious,  and 
cunning  man  evade  every  proposition  made  him,  and 
sully  all  his  merits  by  art  and  tricking.  As  a  proof, 
however,  that  his  mind  is  full  of  our  proposal,  he  wrote 
of  his  own  accord  to  Stampfort  to  say  to  him  he  was  of 
Mons.  Puisieux's  opinion,  who,  in  his  "  Caracteres,"  says, 
"  II  ne  faut  pas  s  embarquer  de  propos  delibere  dans 
aucune  de  ces  entreprises  dont  on  ne  pent  sortir  que  con- 
vert de  gloire,  ou  convert  de  ridicule."  A  foolish  saying, 
a  mere  jingle  of  words,  quite  French,  and  not  at  all  appli- 
cable to  his  situation. 

After  dinner  he  held  a  very  long  and  very  sensible 
discourse  with  me  about  the  Princess  Caroline  ;  and 
here,  where  he  was  not  on  his  guard,  and  where  he 
laid  aside  his  '■'finesse"  and  suspicion,  he  appeared  in 
all  his  lustre.  lie  (the  Duke)  entered  fully  into  her 
future  situation — was  perfectly  aware  of  the  character 
of  the  Prince,  and  of  the  inconveniences  that  would 
result,  almost  with  equal  ill  effect,  either  from  his  liking 
the  Princess  too  much,  or  too  little.  He  also  touclied 
on  the  Queen's  character,  with  which  he  is  perfectly 
acquainted.  He  was  rather  severe  on  the  Duchess  of 
York — he  never  mentioned  the  King.  He  said  of  his 
daughter,  "Elle  n' est  pas  btte,  mais  elle  n'a  pas  de  juge- 
ment — elle  a  ete  ^levle  severement,  et  il  le  falloit."  The 
Duke  requested  me  to  recommend  to  her  discretion  not 
to  ash  questions,  and,  above  all,  not  to  be  free  in  giving 
opinions  of  persons  and  things  aloud  ;  and  he  hinted 
delicately,  but  very  pointedly,  at  the  free  and  unreserved' 
manners  of  the  Duchess,  who  at  times  is  certainly  apt 
to  forget  her  audience.  He  desired  me  to  advise  her 
never  to  shew  any  jealousy  of  the  Prince  ;  and  that,  if  he 
had  any  gotits,  not  to  notice  them.  He  said  he  had  written 
her  all  this  in  German,  but  that  enforced  by  me,  it  would 
come  with  double  effect. — Grand  opera  in  the  evening — 
good  theatre  and  decorations — Princess  Caroline  much 
applauded  on  coming  in.  Supper  with  the  Duchess — Sir 
M.  Eden  arrives. 


1794.  J  BRUNSWICK.  165 

Saturday,  Dec.  6. — Sir  Moreton  with,  me  from  nine — 
he  left  London  the  29th,  and  was  three  days  on  the  sea 
to  Hamlmrgh.  Lord  Hertford,  after  much  shilly-shally, 
declined  Vienna.  Visited  the  Princess  Augusta — clever, 
artful,  and  rather  coming — she  gave  me  an  excellent 
picture  of  Duke  Ferdinand.  Dinner  at  Court — ball  and 
ombre.  Madlle.  Hertzfeldt  repeats  to  me  what  the  Duke 
had  before  said — stated  the  necessity  of  being  very  strict 
with  the  Princess  Caroline — that  she  was  not  clever,  or 
ill-disposed,  but  of  a  temper  easily  wrought  on,  and  had 
no  tact.  She  said  my  advice  would  do  more  good  than 
the  Duke's,  as  although  she  respected  him,  she  also  feared 
him,  and  considered  him  as  a  severe,  rather  than  an 
afiectionate  father — that  she  had  no  respect  for  her 
mother,  and  was  inattentive  to  her  when  she  dared. — I 
lead  the  Princess  Caroline  to  supper,  and  am  placed  be- 
tween her  and  the  Duchess  ;  her  conversation  very  right : 
she  entreats  me  also  to  guide  and  direct  her.  I  recom- 
mend perfect  silence  on  all  subjects  for  six  months  after 
her  arrival. 


Sunday,  Dec.  7. — With  Stampfort.  Shews  me  a  letter 
from  Princess  of  Orange,  in  which  she  deprecates  the  idea 
of  peace  —  condemns  the  Duke's  refusal,  but  can  propose 
nothing  to  induce  him  to  retract  it — Prince  of  Orange 
and  she  not  well  together,  but,  as  usual,  reciprocally 
jealous.  Stampfort  "  au  bout  de  son  latin.''  We  agree  to 
remain  quiet  till  fresh  orders,  or  fresh  events,  and  are 
both  perfectly  of  accord  on  the  Duke's  character,  which  is 
all  suspicion,  cunning,  and  irresolution,  whenever  he  is 
talking  on  business.  He  owns  this  himself,  and  says  that 
"  cela  est  plus  fort  que  lui."  AValk  to  Richmond.  Lady 
Elizabeth  Eden  arrives.  Dine  at  Court.  Called  on  Lady 
Elizabeth — she  goes  to  Court.  Concert  and  supper.  Before 
the  concert  another  long  conversation  with  the  Duke 
about  his  daughter :  he  extremely  anxious  about  her  doing 
right ;  said  he  had  been  with  her  for  two  hours  in  the 
morning — that  he  wished  to  make  her  feel  that  the  high 
situation  in  Avhich  she  was  going  to  be  placed,  was  not 


166  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [l794. 

simply  one  of  amusement  and  enjoyment ;  that  it  had  its 
duties,  and  those  perhaps  difficult  and  hard  to  fulfil. 
He  again  earnestly  entreated  me  to  be  her  adviser,  not  to 
forsake  her  when  in  England  ;  that  he  was  more  afraid  of 
what  would  happen  there  than  here  ;  that  he  dreaded  the 
Prince's  habits.  He  said  the  Princess  had  not  taken  amiss 
what  I  said  to  her ;  she  had  repeated  it  to  him,  and  he 
thanked  me  for  it.     Lady  Elizabeth  Eden,  whom  I  carried 

home  from   Court,  said,  that  Lady was  very  well 

with  the  Queen  ;  that  she  went  frequently  to  Windsor, 
and  appeared  as  a  sort  of  favourite.  This,  if  true,  most 
strange,  and  bodes  no  good. — Sat  next  Princess  Caroline 
at  supper ;  I  advise  her  to  avoid  familiarity,  to  have  no 
confidantes,  to  avoid  giving  any  opinion  ;  to  approve,  but 
not  to  admire  excessively ;  to  be  perfectly  silent  on 
politics  and  party  ;  to  be  very  attentive  and  respectful  to 
the  Queen  ;  to  endeavour,  at  all  events,  to  be  well  with 
her.  She  takes  all  this  well ;  she  was  at  times  in  tears, 
but  on  account  of  having  taken  leave  of  some  of  her  old 
acquaintance.     Sir  B.  Boothby  arrives. 


Monday,  Dec.  8. — Walk  with  Sir  Brook  to  Richmond  ; 
see  the  house  in  the  form  of  a  lozenge — not  very  good, 
but  comfortable,  grounds  pretty — great  marsh  before  it. 
Sir  Brook  clever  and  pleasant — democratic  leanings,  but 
by  no  means  enrage  or  Jacobinical.  Dinner  at  Duchess 
Dowager's.  Duchess  shews  me  a  letter  from  the  Duke  of 
Gloucester,  dated  the  28  th,  in  which  he  says  the  squadron 
to  convoy  us  will  not  sail  under  a  fortnight,  and  that  it 
will  be  the  middle  of  January  before  we  reach  England, 
He  also  says  Lord  Moira  is  going  on  an  expedition  with 
15,000  men.  Old  Duchess  vastly  civil — talks  of  very  old 
times,  of  her  father,  and  his  quarrels  with  George  II.  The 
Waggenhcims  from  Hanover  there.  Opera  in  the  evening, 
and  supper  at  Duchess's — next  to  Princess  Caroline  at 
table — she  improves  very  much  on  closer  acquaintance — 
cheerful,  and  loves  laughing.  Count  Kielmanscgge  from 
Hanover. 


1794.]  BRUNSWICK.  167 

Tuesday,  Dec.  9. — AVrite  to  England.  Breakfast  at 
Grand  Marechal  Munchausen's — conversation  with  him 
and  Count  Kiehnansegge  about  our  journey — could  settle 
nothing  from  want  of  orders.  Dinner  at  Duchess's.  Supper 
at  Duchess  Dowager's — no  material  incident.     Princess 

Caroline  recommends 's  son.    I  take  this  opportunity 

of  requesting  her  not  to  make  any  promise,  or  to  attend 
to  any  request  made  her ;  to  refer  them  all,  if  she  pleased, 
to  me,  but  to  say  to  all  invariably,  that  she  had  laid  it 
down  as  a  rule  to  ask  for  nothing  on  her  arrival  in  Eng- 
land, and  never  on  any  account  to  meddle  with  the  distribu- 
tion of  offices,  or  interfere  on  any  account  in  anything 
which  bore  reference  to  public  afiairs.     She  approved  what 
I  said  ;  to  which  I  added,  that  if  amongst  the  number  of  ap- 
plications made  to  her,  there  was  any  one  she  felt  really 
and  sincerely  interested  about,  if  she  would  mention  it  to 
me  I  would  make  a  point  of  recommending  it  when  in 
England ;  but  that  this  should  not  be  told  to  the  requiring 
person,  and  the  event  when  it  happened  not  furnish  an 
example  for  further  application.      This,    to   which   she 
acquiesced  most  readily,  gave  me  an  opportunity  to  re- 
commend her  to  make  no  distinction  of  party,  except  that 
made  by  the  King  and  Queen  ;  never  to  talk  politics,  or 
allow  them  to  be  talked  to  her  ;  and  never  on  any  account 
to  give  any  other  opinion  on  public  and  political  subjects, 
but  such  as  was  expressive  of  her  anxiety  for  the  public 
good.     She  asked  me  about  Lady  ""  '""  ^''  ""  appeared  to 
suppose  her  an  intriguante,  but  not  to  know  of  any  par- 
tiality or  connection  between  her  and  the  Prince.     I  said 
that  in  regard  to  Lady  '"'  '"'  '"   ^''   she  and  all  her  other 
ladies  would  frame  their  conduct  towards  her  by  hers  to- 
wards them  ;  that  I  humbly  advised  that  this  should  not 
be  familiar  or  too  easy,  but  that  it  might  be  aifable  with- 
out forgetting  she  was  Princess  of  Wales ;  that  she  should 
never  listen  to  them  whenever  they  attempted  anything 
like  a  commerage,  and  never  allow  them  to  appear  to  in- 
fluence her  opinion  by  theirs.     She  said  she  wished  to  be 
popular,  and  was  afraid  I  recommended  too  much  reserve  ; 
that  i)robably   I  thought  her  too  prone  a  se  livrer.     I 
made  a  bow.    She  said,  "  Tell  me  freely."    I  said,  "  I  did  ;" 


168  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [1794. 

that  it  was  an  amiable  quality,  but  oue  which  could  not 
in  her  high  situation  be  given  way  to  without  great  risk  : 
that  as  to  popularity  it  never  was  attained  by  familiarity ; 
that  it  could  only  belong   to  respect,  and  was  to   be 
acquired  by  a  just  mixture  of  dignity  and  affability  :  I 
quoted   the    Queen  as   a   model   in  this  respect.      The 
Princess  said  she  was  afraid  of  the  Queen — she  was  sure 
she  would  be  jealous  of  her  and  do  her  harm.     I  replied, 
that,  for  this  reason,  it  was  of  the  last  consequence  to  be 
attentive  towards  her,  to  be  always  on  her  guard,  and 
never  to  fail  in  any  exterior  mark  of  respect  towards  her, 
or  to  let  drop  an  inconsiderate  word  before  her.     She 
took  all  this  in  good  part,  and  desired  me  to  continue  to 
be  her  mentor  after  she  got  to  England,  as  well  as  now. 
She  said  of  her  own  accord,  "  I  am  determined  never  to 
appear  jealous.     I  know  the  Prince  is  Uger,  and  am  pre- 
pared on  this  point."     I  said  I  did  not  believe  she  would 
have  any  occasion  to  exercise  this  very  wise  resolution, 
which  I  commended  highly,  and  entreated  her  if  she  saw 
any  symptoms  of  a  gout  in  the  Prince,  or  if  any  of  the 
women  about  her  should,   under  the  love  of  fishing  in 
troubled  waters,  endeavour  to  excite  a  jealousy  in  her 
mind,  on  no  account  to  allow  it  to  manifest  itself ;  that 
reproaches  and  sourness  never  reclaimed  anybody ;  that 
it  only  served  as  an  advantageous  contrast  to  the  contrary 
qualities  in  the  rival  ;  and  that  the  surest  way  of  reco- 
vering a  tottering  affection  was  softness,  enduring,  and 
caresses  ;  that  I  knew  enough  of  the  Prince  to  be  quite 
sure  he  could  not  withstand  such  a  conduct,  while  a  con- 
trary  one   would  jwohahly  make  him  disagreeable  and 
peevish,  and  certainly  force  him  to  be  false  and  dissem- 
bling. 

Wednesday,  13ec.  10. — Breakfast  and  concert  at  Ma- 
dame iMiinchausen's — slie  and  her  motlier  sung  duetts — 
conversation  with  Kielmanscgge  on  public  affairs — shal- 
low, but  good-humoured.  Walk  with  Abbesse  and  Ma- 
dame Constant.  Note  from  Hereditary  Princess  to  say 
Duke  of  York  went  to  England  on  the  4th — unexpected 
— toll  it  the  Duke  at  dinner  ;  it  strikes  him,  as  it  did  the 


1794.]  BRUNSWICK.  169 

day  before,  that  Prince  Nassau  was  coming  with  a  high 
rank  into  the  Prussian  service  :  he,  however,  was  less 
thinking  this  day  than  usual ;  he  was  conversable  with 
the  ladies  at  dinner — said  that  his  famous  Manifesto  was 
drawn  up  by  a  Brabanfon  of  the  name  of  Himon  (now 
here) ;  that  it  was  approved  by  Count  Schulenberg  and 
Spielman,  and  forced  upon  him  to  sign ;  that  he  had  not 
even  a  veto  on  this  occasion.  After  dinner  he  had  a  long 
conversation  with  Count  Kielmansegge,  the  object  of  which 
was  to  persuade  him  nothing  could  be  done  for  carrying 
on  the  war  with  any  effect,  without  the  assistance  of 
Prussia,  in  order  that  Kielmansegge  might  repeat  it  to  me  ; 
this  Kielmansegge  did  without  seeing  through  the  Duke's 
design,  and  I  did  not  think  it  necessary  to  point  it  out 
to  him. 

Concert  at  Court  —  Madlle.  Hertzfeldt  takes  me  aside, 

and  says  nearly  these  words:  "  Je  vous  conjure,  faites 

que  le  Prince  fasse  mener,  au  commencement,   une  vie 

retiree  a  la  Princesse.    EUe  a  toujours  et6  tres  gen^e  et 

tr^s  observ^e,  et  il  le  falloit  ainsi.    Si  elle  se  trouve  tout 

a  coup  dans  le  monde  sans  restriction  aucune,  elle  ne 

marchera  pas  a  pas  egaux.   Elle  n'a  pas  le  coeur  deprave — 

elle  n'a  jamais  rien  fait  de  nauvais,  mais  la  parole  en 

elle  devanc6  toujours  la  pens6e;  elle  se  livre  a  ceux  a. 

qui  elle  parle  sans  reserve,  et  de  la  il  s'ensuit  (meme 

dans  cette  petite  Cour)  qu'on  lui  prete  des  sens  et  des 

intentions  qui  ne  lui  ont  jamais  appartenus — que  ne  sera- 

t-il  pas  en  Angleterre — ou  elle  sera  entour^e  de  femmes 

adroites  et  intriguantes  (a  ce  qu'on  dit)  auxquelles  elle  se 

livrera  a  corps  perdu  (si  le  Prince  permet  qu'elle  mene  la 

vie  dissipee  de  Londres),  et  qui  placeront  dans  sa  bouche 

tel  propos  qu'elles  voudront,.  puisqu'elle  parlera  elle  meme 

sans  savoir  ce  qu'elle  dit.     De  plus  elle  a  Ijeaucoup  de 

vanite,  et  cjuoique  pas  sans  esprit,  avec  pen  defoncl—\du 

tete  lui  tournera  si  on  la  caresse  et  la  flatte  trop  si  le 

Prince  la  gate  ;  et  il  est  tout  aussi  essentiel  qu'elle  le 

craigne  que  qu'elle  I'aime.     II  faut  absolument  qu'il  la 

tienne   s&rree,    qu'il   se   fasse   respecter,    sans   quoi   elle 

s'egarera.    Je  sais  (continua-t-elle)  que  vous  ne  me  com- 

prometterez  pas,  je  vous  parle  comme  a  mon  vieux  ami. 


170  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [1794. 

Je  suis  attach^e  coeur  et  ame  au  Due.  Je  me  suis  d^- 
vouee  a  lui,  je  me  suis  perdue  pour  lui.  C'est  le  bien 
de  sa  famille  que  je  veux.  II  sera  le  j)lus  malheureux 
des  hommes  si  cette  fille  ne  reussit  pas  mieux  que 
sou  aiuee.  Je  vous  repute,  elle  n'a  jamais  rien  fait  de 
mauvais,  mais  elle  est  saus  jugement  et  on  I'a  jugee  a 
I'avenant.  Je  crains  (dit  Madlle.  Hertzfeldt)  la  Heine. 
La  Ducliesse  ici  qui  passe  sa  vie  a  penser  tout  haut, 
ou  a  ne  jamais  penser  du  tout ;  n'aime  pas  la  Reine, 
et  elle  en  a  trop  parle  a  sa  fille,  Cependant  son  bonheur 
depend  d'etre  bien  avec  elle,  et  pour  Dieu  repetez  lui 
toujours  cette  maxime  que  vous  avez  d6ja  plus  d'une  fois 
recommandee.  Elle  vous  ^conte.  Elle  trouve  que  vous 
parlez  raison  d'une  maniere  gaie,  et  vous  ferez  bien  plus 
d'impression  sur  elle  que  son  p^re  ;  qu'elle  craint  trop, 
on  sa  mhre  qu'elle  ne  craint  pas  du  tout."  I  had  not 
time  to  reply  to  this,  as  I  was  called  away  to  cards 
with  the  Duchess.  Masquerade — I  walked  with  the  Prin- 
cess Caroline,  and  had  a  very  long  conversation  with 
her.  I  endeavour  not  to  mix  up  much  serious  matter  at 
such  a  place,  but  whenever  I  found  her  inclined  to  give 
way  too  much  to  the  temper  of  the  entertainment,  and  to 
get  over  cheerful  and  too  mixing,  I  endeavoured  to  bring 
her  back  by  becoming  serious  and  respectful. 

When  we  returned  to  the  "Balcon,"  (the  masquerade 
was  in  the  Opera  House,)  she  entered,  of  her  own  accord, 
into  the  kind  of  life  she  was  to  lead  in  England,  and  was 
very  inquisitive  about  it.  I  said  it  would  depend  very 
much  on  her ;  that  I  could  have  no  share  in  settling  it,  but 
that  my  wish  was,  that  in  private  she  might  enjoy  every 
ease  and  comfort  belonging  to  domestic  happiness,  but  that 
when  she  appeared  abroad,  she  should  always  appear  as 
Princess  of  Wales,  surrounded  by  all  that  "  appareil  and 
etiquette"  due  to  her  elevated  situation.  She  asked  me 
what  were  the  Queen's  drawing-room  days  %  I  said, 
Thursday  and  Sunday  after  church,  which  the  King  and 
Queen  never  missed ;  and  I  added  that  I  hoped  most 
ardently  she  would  follow  their  example,  and  never,  on 
any  account,  miss  Divine  Service  on  that  day.  "  Does  the 
Prince  go  to  church  ?"  she  asked  me.  I  replied,  she  would 


1794.]  BRUNSWICK.  171 

make  him  go  ;  it  was  one  of  many  advantages  he  would 
derive  from  changing  his  situation.  "  But  if  he  does  not 
like  it  V  "  Why,  then,  your  Royal  Highness  must  go  with- 
out him,  and  tell  him  that  the  fulfilling  regularly  and 
exactly  this  duty,  can  alone  enable  you  to  perform  exactly 
and  regularly  those  you  owe  him — this  cannot  but  please 
him,  and  will,  in  the  end,  induce  him  also  to  go  to 
church."  The  Princess  said  mine  was  a  very  serious  re- 
mark for  a  masquerade.  I  begged  her  pardon,  and  said  it 
was,  in  fact,  a  more  cheerful  one  than  the  most  dissipated 
one  I  could  have  made,  since  it  contained  nothing  fj'isfe 
in  itself,  and  would  infallibly  lead  to  everything  that  was 
pleasant.  She  caught  my  idea  with  great  quickness,  and 
the  last  part  of  our  conversation  was  very  satisfactory,  as 
I  felt  I  had  done  what  I  wished,  and  set  her  mind  on 
thinking  of  the  drawbacks  of  her  situation,  as  well  as  of 
its  "  agremens"  and  impressed  it  with  the  idea  that,  in 
the  order  of  society,  those  of  a  very  high  rank  have  a 
price  to  pay  for  it,  and  that  the  life  of  a  Princess  of  Wales 
is  not  to  be  one  of  all  pleasure,  dissipation,  and  enjoy- 
ment ;  that  the  great  and  conspicuous  advantages  belong- 
ing to  it  must  necessarily  be  purchased  by  considerable 
sacrifices,  and  can  only  be  preserved  and  kept  up  by  a 
continual  repetition  of  these  sacrifices. 

Madame  Waggenheim  absurd,  ridiculous,  ill-mannered 
and  mechante.  She  asked  me,  in  speaking  of  the  Prin- 
cess, "  Comment  j'ai  trouve  la  petite"  and  added,  "  Quoi- 
que  assez  agee,  son  education  n'est  pas  encore  flnie!' 
I  replied,  "  Que  je  voyois  qu'a  un  age  bien  plus  avanc6 
que  celui  de  son  Altesse  Roy  ale,  la  bonne  education 
dont  elle  parloit  n'etoit  pas  toujours  commenceer 


Thursday,  Dec.  11. — Long  walk  round  the  town. 
Dinner,  concert,  and  supper  at  Court — Duke  disposed  to 
converse  at  dinner — his  mind  full  of  the  idea  we  had  pro- 
posed to  him,  but  always  harping  on  the  same  string, 
Prussia.  On  my  observing  that  it  appeared  that  Prussia 
was  actuated  by  principles  in  direct  opposition  to  ours, 
and  had  formed  a  system  perfectly  French— and  if  Prussia 


172  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [1794. 

Avas  thus  systematically  against  us,  it  would  be  useless  and 
even  dangerous  to  make  any  attempts  there — he  replied, 
"  Prussia  has  no  system,  or  ever  will  while  this  reign 
lasts  ;"  he  then  went  into  the  vices  and  weaknesses  of  the 
Prussian  Cabinet.  I  said  they  had  reached  the  army,  and 
the  politics  the  Generals  mixed  u})  with  tlieir  command 
had  reached  the  officers  and  even  soldiers,  "  line  armee 
ne  doit  etre  qu'une  machine,  me  repondit  le  Due ;  des 
qu'elle  est  autre  chose,  elle  sert  a  la  destruction  et  non 
pas  a  la  protection  d'un  etat.  Feu  le  Roi  savoit  changer 
cela  d'un  regard." — The  Duke  then  talked  on  the  necessity 
of  subordination  on  all  occasions  and  everywhere  ;  he  said 
in  business  as  in  a  battle,  "  Celui  qui  a  le  dernier  bataillon 
en  ordre  la  gagnera  toujours."  Wrote  to  Prince  of  Wales, 
and  sent  letter  by  estafette  to  Hanover. 


Friday,  Dec.  12. — Stampfort  with  me  in  the  morning — 
he  "  au  bout  de  son  latin"  — thhiks  Duke  of  York  might 
do  good  at  Berlin.  Duke  tells  him  Hugh  Elliot  might 
be  of  some  service.  I  reprobate  both  these  suggestions — 
the  persons  unfit :  it  would  be  a  humiliating  measure  to 
send  the  Duke  of  York,  and  Hugh  Elliot  is  a  ci^ane.  "  Le 
Roi  I'a  goute,"  Stampfort  replied,  "  and  he  is  well  with 
some  of  his  alentours."  He  desired  me  to  write  to  Lord 
St.  Helens  to  desire  the  Princess  of  Orange  (in  case  she 
passed  through  the  Hague)  not  to  put  herself  or  family 
to  any  expense.  She  had  sent  her  diamonds  here,  and 
was  now  going  to  send  for  them  back,  in  order  to  appear 
en  gala.     I  undertook  this  commission. 

Duke  comes  to  me  at  one,  full  of  anxiety,  perplexed  and 
alarmed  at  what  is  passing  at  Berlin— cannot  explain  it.'"' 
It  cannot  be  the  real  interest  of  tlie  King  of  Prussia  to  act 
as  he  does ;  it  must  be  his  vanity  which  is  worked  upon,  or 
corruption  of  those  Avho  surround  him.  He  proposes  that 
it  shoidd  be  stated  to  him  the  dangerous  position  in  which 
he  would  stand,  if  he  was  se|)arated  from  his  old  allies,  the 
jMaritime  Powers ;  tliat  France,  under  its  present  form 
of  government,  could  not  be  considered  as  a  safe  ally  ; 

*  Prussiu  was  now  trcutiiig  with  the  Fieiicli  Convention. 


1794.J  BRUNSWICK.  173 

and  that,  even  supposing  it  to  re-become  a  monarchy,  it 
must  be  under  a  constitutional  king,  whose  powers  woukl 
be  limited  and  disputed,  and  the  country  weak  and  ex- 
hausted ;    that   the    two    Imperial    Courts    would   unite 
against  him ;    that  the  very  peace  of  which  he  seemed 
ambitious  to  be  mediator,  would  work  his  own  ruin  ;  that 
therefore  it  should  be  required  of  him  to  say  what  he 
wished,  to  which  measures  he  inclined,  that  by  knowing 
them,  some  joint  plan  of  concert  might  be  adopted  ;  that 
if  it  was  peace,  a  general  peace,  to  be  brought  about  by  a 
course  of  measures  ;  and,  above  all,  by  an  innnediate  pre- 
paration for  a  vigorous  campaign  ;    that  if,  to  carry  on 
this,  he  said  he  wanted  supplies,  to  say  these  should  be 
furnished  liim,  provided  it  was  certain  that  they  ivere 
employed  for  the  purpose  they  ivere  given ;  that  the  leav- 
ing his  army  (le  nez  contre  Mayence)  on  the  Upper 
Rhine,  while   the    enemy  were   invading,    and  even   in 
possession  of  his  territories  on  the  Lower  Rhine,    and 
when  his  ancient  Westphalian  dominions  had  no  other 
protection  but  an  Austrian  army,  unequal  in  numlier 
for  their  defence,  and,  according  to  liis  own  accounts,  ill 
organized^  was  a  measure  equally  dangerous  to  his  inte- 
rests as  disgraceful  to  his  honour  ;  that,  therefore,  if  he, 
as  we  and  all  the  Powers  at  war,  only  looked  forward  to 
a  safe  and  honourable  peace,  and  felt,   as  reason  and 
common  sense  must  point  out,  that  this  could  only  be 
brought  about  by  assuming  the  countenance  of  war,  that 
he  should  say  so,  that  he  should  agree  and  settle  where 
his  force  might  be  usefully  and  efficaciously  employed  ; 
that  if  he  would  bring  his  army  to  defend  the  Republic 
of  Holland,  and  the  Lower  Rhine,  that  means  might  be 
found  for  supplying  them.     The  Duke  added,  as  an  addi- 
tional lure,  that  it   might  be  held   out  that  the   King 
should  connnand  this  army  in  person  ;   but  then,  added 
he,  it  must  be  intrigue  contre  intrigue,  and  you  and  the 
Dutch  must  employ  Jit  persons  to  counteract  those  about 
the  King.     He  ended  by  proposing  Stampfort  for  this 
commission  ;  said  he  might  go  to  Berlin  as  coming  from 
the  Hague,   and  as  having  seen  me  here,  and  that  we 
should  then  have  tried  the  only  possible  means  of  getting 


174  DIARIES   AND    CORRESPONDENCE.  [l794. 

at  truth,  without  which  nothing  could  be  done.  He  said 
he  was  so  deeply  interested  in  all  this,  and  considered 
the  separation  of  England  from  the  northern  Powers  as 
so  destructive  to  them  all,  (and  in  which  destruction  his 
small  patrimony  would  undoubtedly  be  enveloped,)  that 
he  saw  no  other  means  of  preservation  left,  if  this  could 
not  be  prevented.  He  said  Prince  Henry  was,  he  believed, 
our  greatest  and  most  dangerous  adversary.  When  here 
in  August,  he  had  distinguished  this  war  from  others  by 
saying,  that  in  the  seven  years'  and  other  wars,  England 
had  considered  her  alliances  on  the  Continent  as  a  diver- 
sion to  favour  her  conquests  and  interests  elsewhere  ;  that 
now  her  conquests  of  the  Islands,  &c.,  should  be  con- 
sidered as  a  diversion  in  favour  of  the  interests  of  the 
Continent,  and  England  be  called  upon  to  restore  them 
for  this  purpose.  He  told  me  Prince  Nassau  had  his 
conge,  and  was  going  to  retire  to  Venice  with  a  pension 
of  12,000  roubles  from  the  Empress  of  Russia — the  Duke 
was  jull  of  his  subject;  I  admitted  his  idea,  but  doubted 
its  effects,  as  it  had  under  another  shape  been  repeatedly 
tried,  and  that  if  the  King  of  Prussia  ivas  not  systemati- 
cally acting  against  us,  and  systematically  led  into  it  by 
France,  it  was  impossible  things  should  be  where  they 
were,  and  that  against  a  parti  pris  and  formed,  no 
reason  or  argument  could  act  with  effect.  I  shewed  to 
the  Duke,  Paget's  proposal  of  the  25th,  and  the  negative 
answer.  All  this  struck  him,  and  he  left  me ;  his 
anxiety  and  uneasiness  increased,  and  I  endeavoured,  I 
confess,  to  work  them  up  to  the  highest  pitch.  At  dinner 
he  expressed  these  feelings  very  strongly,  but  said  nothing 
new  ;  he  got  back  to  my  mission  in  Spain  in  1768,  and 
talked  over  the  l)usiness  of  the  Falkland  Islands.  Whim- 
sical conversation,  and  curious  questions  of  the  Duchess 
about  Empress  of  Russia  and  her  favourites.  Opera — 
cosa  rara — pretty  music — in  the  Duchess's  box.  The 
Princess  Abbess,  who  staid  the  last,  on  going  out,  was 
disposed  to  slight  the  Duchess,  and  to  complain  of  her 
under  the  title  of  La  Princesse  d'A  Ihion ;  I  put  on  a 
very  gi-ave  face,  and  made  no  reply.  Supper  at  round 
tables — Princess  Caroline  in  great  good  humour,  and  very 
naturally  pleasant  :  we  staid  till  late. 


1794.]  BRUNSWICK.  175 

Saturday,  Dec.  13. — With  Stampfort — communicate 
to  him  the  Duke's  wish  that  he  shouhl  go  to  Berlin — his 
reasons  for  declining ;  that  he  had  no  official  commission 
— that  he  would  be  suspected  and  not  believed.  I  admit 
these  reasons — settle  that  it  would  be  perhaps  better  to 
write  to  Haugwiz,  and  take  measures  for  the  King  seeing 
the  letter  ;  at  all  events  to  wait  for  the  return  of  Dressins 
from  Berlin.  Long  walk — dinner  at  Court — assembly  at 
Madame  Luttichau's — good  house— whist — the  Princess 
Caroline  asked  me,  with  an  apology,  as  for  une  question 
indiscrette,  whether  I  was  to  be  her  lord-chamherlain  f 
On  my  saying,  I  knew  nothing  of  it,  she  was  very 
gracious,  and  expressed  a  strong  wish  it  should  be ; 
and  added,  she  feared  it  would  not  be  good  enough 
for  me,  and  that  I  should  decline  it.  I  told  her 
any  situation  which  placed  me  near  her  would  be  flatter- 
ing to  me,  but  that  these  situations  were  sought  for  by 
many  persons  who  had  better  claims  than  myself,  and 
that  besides  I  never  solicited  anything,  and  could  not 
expect  that  such  an  office  would  be  ofiered  me  without 
my  asking  for  it.  She  again  (and  apparently  in  earnest) 
expressed  her  wish  it  should  be,  and  said  it  would  be  of 
infinite  use  to  her  to  have  a  person  near  her  she  was  used 
to,  and  whom  she  had  confidence  in.  Supper  at  Court — 
cheerful — talking  of  ugly  children  ;  and  on  my  saying, 
when  this  happened,  and  they  were  like  their  father,  it 
did  honour  to  their  mother's  virtue, — "  Not  at  all,"  said 
our  Duchess  ;  "  on  the  contrary,  when  a  wife  has  done 
a  wrong  thing,  and  she  is  afraid  of  her  husband,  and  if 
she  sees  him  when  she  is  breeding,  she  takes  fright,  and 
the  child  is  marl'ed  with  the  husband,  as  it  would  with  a 
spider,  or  cat,  or  anything  she  saw  which  frightened  her 
during  her  pregnancy." 


Sunday,  Dec.  1 4. — "Write  to  Vangoens,  Cunningham,  &c. 
Walk.  Great  dinner  at  Court  —  Beulwitz  and  Amswerdt 
from  Hanover.  Beulwitz  told  me  at  dinner  that  Hertz- 
berg  was  dying — that  Prince  Henry  was  coming  into 
play — that  this  Avould  produce  great  evil.     He  would  re- 


176  DIARIES  AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [1794. 

commend  treating  with  Germany  and  Poland  — •  would  be 
for  taking  Pomerania,  Mecklenburg,  and  the  counties  of 
Bremen   and  Verden — ^he  cared  no  more  for  a  title  to 
what  he  claims  than  Alexander  or  Caesar.     Mons.  de  Meil- 
han,  author  of  "Les  deux  cousins — a  talking  man,  with 
parts,  said  to  be  dangerous  and  intriguing,  a  thin  figure, 
and  shallow  look.    Prince  Nassau  disgraced  and  dismissed 
(as  he  says),  because  he  asked  for  the  command  of  the 
Russian  army  in  Poland."""     The  EmjDress  refused  him.    He 
asks  his   dismission — she  grants  it  —  gives  him  12,000 
roubles   pension,   and  calls   him    un  ingrat.     He  going 
to  Venice — Duke  said  that  he  remembered  the  present 
Empress  fifty   years   ago   at   Brunswick,    un   tres  petit 
personage,  with  her  mother.     That  she  was  dressed  in 
red  damask,  with  satin  brocade — was  then  very  pretty, 
"  mais  ne  promettoit  rien  :"    he  then  made  a  remark, 
which  evidently  meant  to  express  his  feelings  at  such 
a  woman  having  made    such  a  progress   in  the  world, 
while  he  remained  nearly  where  he  set  out. — Concert. — 
Duchess  said  that  Duke  Louis  of  Brunswick  f  was  a  vile 
man — he  had  belied  her,  and  made  the  late  Duke  be- 
lieve  that    she   prevented   the  Prince   of    Orange  from 
marrying  the  Princess  Augusta  (now  I'Abbesse).     It  was 
a  lie,  and  she  never  spoke  to  him  afterwards.    (N.B. — • 
This  the  occasion,  probably,  of  the  dislike  of  the  Abbesse 
towards  her.)     She  said  Duke  Lewis  wrote  all  sort  of  ill- 
natured  things  here  about  the  present  Princess  of  Orange 
— accused  her  of  infidelity,  &c.    Duke  praises  exceedingly 
the  Hereditary  Princess  to  me — says  "  que  dans  une  posi- 
tion tres  difficile,  et  sans  agremens,  elle  n'a  jamais  donne 
^rise  sur  elle" — that  she  has  the  best  head  possible — writes 
admirably — "  C'est  un  tresor  pour  nioi,"  added  he.     I  was 
the  more  pleased  with  this,  as  I  think  the  same  of  tlie 

*  Name  illegible  in  MS. 

t  Duke  Louis  of  Brunswick  liad  been  invited  to  command  the  Dutch 
army  by  tlic  Stadthohlcr,  William  the  Fourth,  and  quitted  the  scMvicc  of  the 
Empress  Queen  (in  ^\•hich  he  was  at  that  time  eiiga>;e(l)  for  that  purjiose. 
AVhen  the  Stadthohler  died,  the  Princess  liegent,  Anne,  sister  of  George  the 
Second,  continued  him  in  her  service,  and  at  her  death  in  1759,  Duke  Louis 
took  the  oaths  to  the  States  as  guardian  and  representative  of  the  young 
Prince  of  Orange,  whose  majority  took  place  in  1766. 


1794.]  BRUNSWICK.  177 

Princess,  and  have  thouglit  so  from  the  earliest  infancy. 
Beulwitz  and  Amswerdt  return  to  Hanover  after  sup- 
per— they  and  all  the  Hanoverians  sore  at  not  having 
had  any  notice  from  the  King  of  this  match.  Princess 
Caroline  very  talkative  at  supper.  Told  anecdotes  of  the 
late  Duke  Ferdinand,  who  before  his  death  was  tomhe 
en  enfance.     Great  and  natural  impatience  to  get  away. 


MoxDAY,  Dec.  15.— With  Elliot  to  De  Lolme,  jeweller- 
buy  watches  for  the  two  pages.  Walk.  Dinner  at  Court. 
Much  conversation  before  dinner  with  Princess  Caroline — 
She  very  inquisitive  about  what  she  is  to  do  to  please — 
my  constant  answer,  to  commune  luith  herself,  to  be  very 
circumspect,  and  to  think  always  before  she  speaks. 
Duke  in  good  humour — communicates  to  me  a  letter  from 
Berlin  —  his  mind  full  of  nothing  else. — Approves  my 
writing  to  Haugwiz — entreats  me  to  do  it — says  he  wiU 
give  a  paper  to  Stampfort — and  ends  a  rather  long  conver- 
sation, in  which  he  had  betrayed  the  greatest  anxiety  and 
interest,  by  saying,  "  Pardon,  my  Lord,  si  j'abuse  de  votre 
patience  en  vous  parlant  de  choses  que  vous  savez  mieux 
que  moi,  et  qui  ne  me  regardent  pas."  Thus  does  his 
character  always  appear  —  timidity  and  cunning.  Ball. 
Stampfort  receives  an  estafette  from  Princess  of  Orange. 
Hereditary  Princess  delivers  me  a  message  from  Princess 
Louisa  Ferdinand  to  recommend  a  Doctor  M'Cagan. — Sup- 
per at  round  tables. 


Tuesday,  Dec.  16. — With  Stampfort — he  reads  his 
letter  from  the  Princess,  which  is  a  statement  of  what  had 
passed  in  Holland,  relative  to  a  separate  peace.  About 
the  7th  or  8th  November,  Van  Breugel,  secretary  to  the 
town  of  Bois  le  Due,  comes  to  the  Hague.  He  assures  the 
Pensionary,  that  the  Convention  is  disposed  to  listen  to 
terms  of  accommodation,  and  that  an  honourable  peace 
may  be  had.     He  speaks  in  the  name  of  La  Combe,  repre- 

VOL.  III.  N 


178  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [l794. 

sentant  clu  peuple  at  Bois  le  Due,  ■whom  he  describes  as 
well-intentioned,  but  he  cautioned  him  against  his  col- 
league Bellegarde,  who  is  a  Dutch  aristocrat,  and  in  cor- 
respondence with  the  Patriots  in  Holland. — The  Pen- 
sionary considers  Van  Breugel  as  a  person  who  had  always 
acted  a  friendly  part,  and  listens  to  him.  His  intelligence 
is  communicated  to  several  of  the  leading  members  of  the 
Government  in  the  different  provinces,  and,  from  their 
eager  desire  for  peace,  and  as  the  Princess  writes,  from 
their  despondency  being  increased  by  the  Duke  of  Bruns- 
wick's refusal,  is  caught  at  by  them.  The  Pensionary  also 
sends  Van  Breugel  to  Lord  St.  Helens,  (the  English  Am- 
bassador at  the  Hague,)  who  gives  no  positive  opinion,  but 
takes  what  he  hears  for  reference.  It  never  becomes  a 
matter  of  public  deliberation  in  any  of  the  Colleges,  but 
in  consequence  of  the  opinion  of  some  of  the  principal 
people,  and  of  the  Prince,  (not  the  Princess)  Rysselaer, 
commissary  at  the  Dutch  army,  receives  instructions  to 
go  to  Bois  le  Due,  and  speak  with  La  Combe.  On  his  ap- 
proaching the  town  he  is,  from  various  frivolous  reasons, 
refused  admittance,  and  he  never  sees  La  Combe,  who 
goes  in  the  meanwhile  to  Antwerp ;  but  Van  Breugel, 
who  now  assumes  the  title  of  Agent  du  Representant, 
comes  to  him  at  a  village  near  the  town,  remains  with 
Rysselaer  half  an  hour,  and  assumes  the  language  of  a 
Carmagnol,  talking  of  the  risk  he  runs,  and  that  if  he 
is  discovered  he  shall  be,  "  mis  hors  de  la  loi,"  &c.  The 
whole  ends  by  Rysselaer  giving  in  a  paper  to  be  trans- 
mitted to  La  Combe,  stating,  that  the  Dutch  are  ready  to 
acknowledge  the  French  republic,  and  that,  if  all  con- 
quests are  restored,  and  an  engagement  entered  into  not 
to  interfere  with  the  internal  government  of  the  country, 
they  will  sign  a  peace,  and  remain  neuter ;  this  to 
be  preceded  by  an  immediate  armistice.  This  paper  was 
sent  to  La  Combe  on  the  16th  November,  and  on  the 
10th  December  no  answer  was  received,  nor  any  notice 
taken  of  it,  and  tlic  armistice,  or  even  a  suspension  of 
hostilities  till  an  answer  came,  positively  declined.  From 
this  the  Princess  naturally  concludes,  tliat  the  whole  is 
a  trick  meant  to  lure  and  gain  time. — Stampfort  and  I 


1794]  BRUNSWICK.  179 

concert  about  a  letter  to  Haiigwiz,  and  the  best  means 
that  the  King  of  Prussia  should  get  a  sight  of  it.  I  pro- 
pose sending  with  much  publicity  a  courier  to  Potzdam, 
to  inquire  for  Haugwiz  there,  and  to  leave  the  letter  with 
Ritz,  the  King's  favourite  valet-de-chambre. — Duke  very 
eager  it  should  be  written — Stampfort  reads  me  a  paper 
he  has  received  from  him — goes  to  the  idea  of  renewing 
our  pecuniary  engagements  with  Prussia — cautiously  and 
not  ably  drawn  up — agree  to  wait  the  return  of  Dressins, 
and  to  prepare  the  letter  in  the  meanwhile. — At  dinner 
next  Princess  Caroline  ;  she  says  it  is  wished  here  that 
her  brother  William  should  marry  the  Princess  Sophia 
of  Gloucester ;  I  advise  her  not  to  meddle  in  it.  She 
talks  about  the  Duke  of  Clarence,  whom  she  prefers 
to  the  Duke  of  York,  and  it  struck  me  to-day  for 
the  first  time  that  he  originally  put  her  into  the 
Prince's  head,  and  that  with  a  view  to  plague  the  Duke 
and  Duchess  of  York  whom  he  hates,  and  whom  the 
Prince  no  longer  likes  ;  well  knowing  that  the  Princess 
Caroline  and  Duchess  of  York  dislike  each  other,  and 
that  this  match  would  be  particularly  unpleasant  to  her 
and  the  Duke.  I  praise  the  Duke  of  York  to  her,  and 
speak  with  great  applause  of  the  behaviour  of  the  Duchess, 
who  by  her  discretion  and  conduct  has  conciliated  to  her- 
self the  good-will  of  the  whole  nation.  I  did  this  to 
pique  her,  and  to  make  her  anxious  to  do  the  same. — She 
has  no  foncls,  no  fixed  character,  a  light  and  flighty  mind, 
but  meaning  well  and  well-disposed,  and  my  eternal  theme 
to  her  is,  to  think  befor^e  she  speaks,  to  recollect  herself.  She 
says  she  wishes  to  be  loved  by  the  people  ;  this,  I  assure 
her,  can  only  be  obtained  by  making  herself  respected  and 
ixire — that  the  sentiment  of  being  loved  by  the  people  is 
a  mistaken  one — that  sentiment  can  only  be  given  to  a 
few,  to  a  narrow  circle  of  those  we  see  every  day — that  a 
nation  at  large  can  only  respect  and  honour  a  great  Prin- 
cess, and  it  is,  in  fact,  these  feelings  that  are  falsely  deno- 
minated the  love  of  a  nation :  they  are  not  to  be  pro- 
cured as  the  good-will  of  individuals  is,  by  pleasant 
openness  and  free  communication,  but  by  a  strict  atten- 
tion to  appearances — by  never  going  below  the  high  rank 

N    2 


180  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [l794. 

in  which  a  Princess  is  placed,  either  in  language  or  man- 
ners—by mixing  dignity  with  affability,  which,  without 
it,  becomes  familiarity,  and  levels  all  distinction. 

After  dinner  the  Duke  and  Duchess  thanked  me  for 
what  I  had  said — the  more,  they  added,  since  I  run  the 
risk  of  getting  into  a  scrape  with  the  Prince  on  my 
return,  to  whom  their  daughter,  in  a  moment  of  fondness, 
would  tell  all  I  said,  and  he  certainly  would  not  approve 
such  serious  advice.  I  replied,  I  luckily  was  in  a  situation 
not  to  want  the  Prince's  favour  ;  that  it  was  of  infinitely 
more  consequence  to  the  public  and  even  to  me  (in  the 
rank  I  filled  in  its  service)  that  the  Princess  of  Wales 
should  honour  and  become  her  high  situation,  recover  the 
dignity  and  respect  due  to  our  Princes  and  Royal  Family, 
which  had  of  late  been  so  much  and  so  dangerously  let 
down  by  their  mixing  so  indiscriminately  with  their  infe- 
riors, than  that  I  should  have  the  advantages  and  emolu- 
ments of  a  favourite  at  Carlton  House  ;  and  that  idea  was 
so  impressed  on  my  mind,  that  I  should  certainly  say  to 
the  Prince  everything  that  I  said  to  the  Princess  Caroline. 

Duke  enters  on  Berlin  politics — tells  me  he  has  a  let- 
ter from  Prince  Henry,  but  not  its  contents.  Supper  at 
Dowager  Duchess's. 


Wednesday,  Dec.  17. — Letters  from  England  and  Hol- 
land, and  answered  them.  Accounts  from  Arnlieim  that 
the  French  attempted  to  cross  the  Waal  at  several  points 
on  the  11th,  and  were  repulsed  —  General  Busche  killed. 
Duke  at  dinner — says  he  has  answered  Prince  Henry's 
letter — that  it  looked  as  if  he  expected  to  get  into  power, 
and  contained  very  dangerous  doctrines. — Concert  in  the 
evening. — Princess  Caroline  talks  very  much— quite  at  her 
ease — too  much  so. 


Thursday,  Dec.  18. — Stampfort  with  me.  We  commu- 
nicate what  we  had  prepared  for  Berlin,  and  out  of  both 
compose  a  letter  for  Haugwiz,  to  be  sent  eventually,  and 
according  to  what  Drcssins  brings  back— much  talk  about 


1794.]  BRUNSWICK.  181 

the  Duke — nothing  to  be  done  with  him  —  about  the 
Prince  of  Orange,  who,  besides  the  perilous  situation  of 
his  Stadtholderate,  is  completely  ruined,  so  much  so  as  to 
be  obliged,  in  order  to  pay  the  interest  of  his  debts,  to 
employ  the  whole  of  his  own  family  income,  and  to  add 
even  a  part  of  that  he  receives  from  the  States.  Hereditary 
Prince  of  Orange  disposed  to  be  avaricious.  Duke  at 
dinner,  and  at  the  opera — very  conversable,  but  on  com- 
mon subjects — idea  of  King  of  Prussia  being  threatened 
with  a  dropsy— mentions  Chamberand  (a  French  general) 
to  me.  Opera — pretty  music — cold  excessive.  At  supper 
Princess  Caroline  tells  me  of  a  kind  of  admonitory  con- 
versation the  Abbesse  had  held  to  her — it  went  to  exhort 
her  to  trust  not  in  men,  that  they  were  not  to  be  de- 
pended on,  and  that  the  Prince  would  certainly  deceive 
her,  &c.,  and  all  the  nonsense  of  an  envious  and  desvring 
old  maid.  The  Princess  was  made  uneasy  by  this,  particu- 
larly as  her  aunt  added  that  she  was  sure  she  would  not 
be  happy.  I  desired  the  next  time  the  Abbess  held  this 
language  to  her,  to  ask  her  whether,  if  she  (Princess 
Caroline)  was  to  propose  to  exchange  with  her,  and  to 
take  the  Abbey  of  Gandersheim,  and  give  her  the  Prince 
of  Wales,  whether  she  would  then  think  men  to  be  such 
monsters,  and  whether  she  would  not  expose  herself  to 
all  the  dangers  and  misfortunes  of  such  a  marriage.  I 
told  the  Princess  that  through  life  she  might  be  sure  that 
people's  advice  was  always  tainted  by  their  situations  and 
particular  circumstances,  and  that  it  was  ever  expedient 
to  advert  to  these  before  we  gave  implicit  faith  to  their 
councils  and  opinions.  She  again  urges  me  to  accept  a 
place  about  her  Court  at  my  return.  I  avoid  an  explicit 
answer,  but  earnestly  entreat  her  not  to  solicit  anything 
on  my  behalf ;  I  had  the  Duke  of  Suffolk  and  Queen 
Margaret  in  my  thoughts.  Steinberg  from  Hanover — says 
King  of  Prussia  is  borrowing  four  millions  of  crowns  on 
the  interior  circles,  and  raising  money  at  home  by  a  paper 
currency. 

Friday,  Dec.  19. — Nothing  remarkable.     At  Court  as 
usual.     Princess  Caroline  plagued  to  carry  over  a  French- 


182  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [1794. 

woman,  sister  to  Duchess  of  Cumberland's  chambermaid, 
by  Parson  IVIacaulay — I  oppose  it,  and  again  urge  strongly 
the  absolute  necessity  of  her  receiving  no  petitions,  and 
making  no  promises — myself  plagued  and  importuned  by 
Mons.  Chamberand.  Duke  of  Brunswick  communicates  to 
me  the  Elector  of  Treves'  answer  at  the  Diet,  about  peace 
— a  very  good  one. 


Saturday,  Dec.  20. — Walk  with  Sir  B.  Boothby.  We 
regret  the  apparent  facility  of  the  Princess  Caroline's  cha- 
racter— her  want  of  reflection  and  substance — agree  that 
with  a  steady  man  she  would  do  vastly  well,  but  with  one 
of  a  different  description,  there  are  great  risks.  Duke  at 
dinner — mentioned  an  anonymous  letter  he  has  received — 
conjectured  to  be  from  Sir  J.  M'Pherson — its  object  to 
induce  him  to  take  the  command,  although  the  means 
employed  do  not  appear  at  all  to  promote  it.  Assembly 
at  Madame  Riederel's — she  recommends  2^  fiddling  emigre 
to  me,  by  name  Chevalier  Monveau.  Supper  at  Court. 
Duke  recommends  to  Princess  Caroline  to  make  an  even- 
tual engagement  with  Maddle.  Rosenzweig  (her  lectrice,) 
and  if  she  does  not  please,  to  send  her  back  with  600 
crowns  pension.  Preached  my  constant  theme  ;  discre- 
tion, reserve,  no  familiarity,  and  less  talking — all  this  she 
still  takes  well,  but  at  the  long  run  it  must  displease. 


Sunday,  Dec.  21. — Write  to  England.  Breakfast  at  Ma- 
dame Luttichau's  country  house — cold — tiresome — she  a 
Dane,  he  nothing — been  in  England — talks  of  Oxford, 
Blenheim,  and  all  the  commonplace  stuff  of  foreigners 
who  think  themselves  English.  Walk  with  Major  Ilis- 
lop — he  at  Toulon  as  Deputy  Adjutant- general  under 
J.  St.  Clair — intelligent  and  modest — gives  due  praise 
to  O'llara""' — says  the  first  thing  he  said  on  coming  to 
Toulon  was,  that  it  was  not  to  be  kept  if  attacked 
seriously,   and  with  sufficient   numbers ;    he  was   quite 

*  General  O'Hfiia  coininan(kMl   tin'    Eni^lisli    forces,  and    was    woumled 
uiid  made  prisoner,  in  tlie  last  action  at  Tonlon  in  tlie  previous  year. 


1794.]  BRUNSWICK.  183 

at  liis  duty  when  taken.  He  does  not  admire  Lord 
Hood — praises  Sir  G.  Elliot — doubts  that  more  than 
eight  ships  were  burnt  at  Toulon.  At  dinner  next  to 
Puysegur — talk  about  Spain,  &c. — after  dinner  Duke 
takes  me  aside,  and  enters  into  conversation  about  his 
daughter — begs  me  to  continue  to  advise  her — that  she 
listens  to  me,  and  thanks  me  for  the  freedom  and  sincerity 
of  my  advice — desires  me  to  correspond  with  him — great 
concert  and  supper — cassino  with  Princess  and  Duchess. 
At  supper  Princess  unusually  at  her  ease,  quite  un  laisser 
oiler — asks  me  (ushering  it  in  with  an  apology)  which  I 
think  would  make  the  best  Princess  of  Wales,  herself,  or 
her  sister-in-law,  the  Hereditary  Princess ;  I  avoid  the 
answer  by  saying  which  I  was  sure  would  be  the  Prince's 
choice.  She  presses  me  farther ;  I  said  she  possesses  by 
nature  what  the  Hereditary  Princess  has  not,  or  ever  can 
acquire, — beauty  and  grace,  and  that  all  the  essential 
qualities  the  Hereditary  Princess  has,  she  may  attain — 
prudence,  discretion,  attention,  and  tact. — "  Do  I  want 
them  T — "  You  cannot  have  too  much  of  them." — "  How 
comes  my  sister-in-law,  who  is  younger  than  myself,  to  have 
them  more  than  I V — "  Because  at  a  very  early  period  of 
her  life,  her  family  was  in  danger — she  was  brought  up  to 
exertion  of  the  mind,  and  she  now  derives  the  benefit, 
'  d avoir  mange  son  pain  bis  le  premier/'^ — "I  shall 
never  learn  this  ;  I  am  too  open,  too  idle  {trop  legere)" — 
"  When  you  are  in  a  different  situation,  you  will ;  you  do 
not  want  these  forbearing  virtues  here — only  commune 
luith  yourself,  question  yourself,  and  you  will  always  act 
up  to  your  situation."  This  was  well  taken,  though  I 
expressed  myself  strongly,  and  with  more  freedom  than 
usual.  She  talked  of  her  aunt  the  Abbesse — said  she  had 
endeavoured  to  inspire  her  with  a  diffidence  and  mistrust 
of  me — had  represented  me  as  un  homme  dangereux.  I 
tried  to  get  rid  of  this  sort  of  conversation,  but  the  Prin- 
cess stuck  by  it,  and  I  was  forced  to  say  that  I  believed 
her  aunt  had  forgotten  that  twenty  years  had  elapsed 
since  she  had  seen  me,  or  heard  of  me  ;  and  that,  besides, 
such  an  insinuation  was  a  tacit  accusation  of  my  being 
very  foolishly  unprincipled.     Slie  said  she  meant  well. 


184  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [1794. 

tbat  she  perhaps  thought  too  partially  of  me  herself,  and 
was  afraid  for  her.  It  was  iu  vain  to  attempt  to  turn 
the  subject — she  went  on  during  the  whole  supper — was 
in  high  spirits,  and  laughed  unmercifully  at  her  aunt, 
and  her  supposed  partiality  for  me. 


Monday,  Dec.  22.— Wrote  to  Berlin — long  walk — 
Duke  at  dinner  desires  me  to  see  Stampfort  in  the  even- 
ing—  he  gives  me  information  the  Duke  has  received 
of  the  state  of  the  negotiation  between  France  and 
Prussia. — Concert,  and  small  supper. 


Tuesday,  Dec.  23. — Dressins  from  Berlin — Paget  writes 
to  Lord  Grenville  that  he  did  not  make  any  distinct  pro- 
posal to  King  of  Prussia,  as  to  the  continuation  of  his 
cooperation  in  the  war,  because  he  was  afraid  of  re- 
ceiving a  flat  refusal  ;  that  he  confined  himself  to  en- 
deavour to  sound,  in  what  terms  this  could  be  accom- 
plished, and  to  bring  a  proposal  from  them  ;  that  to 
this  Haugwiz  replied,  that  all  proposals  must  originate 
with  England,  and  that  none  would  be  listened  to  till 
the  whole  subsidy  was  paid ;  that  the  King  of  Prussia's 
dignity  would  not  admit  it,  particularly  on  so  just  a 
claim ;  that,  therefore,  this  must  be  condition,  sine  qua 
non.  Paget  notices  the  unreasonableness  of  this  lan- 
guage, but  without  effect,  and  gets  nothing  more,  mi- 
nisterially,  from  Haugwiz — unministeriaUy  he  intimates 
to  him  that  if  the  subsidies  are  paid  and  the  Hague 
Convention  renewed,  the  King  will  not  be  averse  to 
detach  20,000  men  towards  Holland,  and  leave  the  re- 
mainder of  his  army  where  it  is,  or  on  any  given  point ; 
and  that  he  would  endeavour  to  prevail  on  the  Duke 
of  Brunswick  to  take  the  command  of  those  20,000  men. 
Paget  argues  that  from  the  pressure  of  the  moment 
these  hard  conditions  may,  perhaps,  be  considered  as 
admissible,  and  that  if  they  are,  he  urges  immediate 
decision,  as  the  army  wants  magazines.  (N.B.  This  des- 
patch remarkably  well  drawn  up.)     Anotlicr  from   Gar- 


1794.]  BRUNSWICK.  185 

diner,  who  states  that  he  thinks  a  farther  division  of 
Poland  likely. 

I  write  to  the  Duke  ;  he  comes  to  me  — long  conversa- 
tion with  him,  I  communicate  to  him  the  substance  of 
Paget's  despatch ;  I  compare  it  with  what  the  Duke 
sent  me  through  Stampfort,  and  the  Duke  agrees  with 
me  that  nothing  can  be  so  abominal)lj  false  and  foolish 
as  the  conduct  of  Berlin  ;  he  launches  out  against  that 
Court  in  the  strongest  terms.  "  J'ai  ii(t,"  dit-il,  "  leur 
mannequin  I'annee  pass^e,  le  mannequin  de  gens  que 
je  meprise,  Je  ne  veux  avoir  rien  a  faire  avec  eux,  a 
moins  qu'il  n'y  ait  un  re  vers  de  la  medaille — (he  meant 
another  King).  lis  sont  pires  que  la  Convention,  et  s'ils 
ne  font  pas  le  meme  mal,  c'est  qu'ils  n'ont  pas  les  memes 
moyens.  J'aimerois  mieux  vivre  dans  un  bois,  que  de 
les  servir,  &c."  He  then  said  it  was  Bishopswerder  and 
Prince  Henry  who  did  all  this ;  that  it  would  not  last ; 
that  Bishopswerder  would  desert  Prince  Henry  if  there 
was  any  appearance  of  things  going  ill,  or  of  a  change 
in  the  King's  disposition,  and  lay  the  whole  blame  on 
him.  The  Duke  then  said  he  had  written  to  Gravent  a 
letter  he  was  sure  would  be  shewn,  and  he  promised 
to  give  me  every  possible  information.  I  never  before 
saw  him  so  apparently  open  and  sincere,  or  so  disposed 
to  be  confiding.  I,  however,  held  it  not  yet  time  to 
renew  my  idea  as  to  his  taking  the  command  or  going 
to  Holland.  With  Stampfort.  Send  on  Dressius.  Dinner 
at  Court,  as  usual.  Supper  at  Duchess  Dowager  s — nothing 
remarkable. 

Wednesday,  Dec.  24. — Write  to  Haugwiz — Stampfort 
sends  me  a  letter  from  the  Princess  of  Orange,  dated  1 9th. 

*  and  Rysselaer   going   to    Bois   le   Due   on   an 

answer  being  come  from  the  Convention  that  they  are 
disposed  to  listen  to  terms  of  peace,  and  agree  to  an 

armistice  under  certain  conditions  *  and  Rysselaer 

wait  for  their  passport — Princess  thinks  it  will  end  in 
nothing.  "  Nous  serons  les  dupes  de  leur  finesse,  et  je 
vois   cette    negociation   avec   une    repugnance  extreme," 

*  Name  illegible  in  MS. 


186  DIARIES   AND    CORRESPONDENCE.  [1794. 

are  her  words.  She  says  the  English  do  better  since 
the  Duke  of  York's  departure — that  Harcourt  and  Wal- 
moden  agree  very  well,  and  that  Alvinzi  seems  well  dis- 
posed :  6000  Austrians  at  or  near  Arnheim — French  in 
want  of  provisions — they  had  formed  no  magazines. 
Duke  after  dinner  talks  of  the  year  1793  and  the  cam- 
paign— that  it  was  a  misfortune  such  a  man  as  Lord 
Beauchamp  was  sent  in  such  a  critical  moment — that  he 
was  lost  and  bewildered.  "  II  ne  s'orientait  pas."  Luc- 
chesini  overreached  him.  Lucchesini  gave  at  this  mo- 
ment a  new  turn  to  the  King  of  Prussia's  ideas,  by 
making  him  believe  he  was  not  a  principal  but  an 
auxiliary  in  the  war — that  to  this  referred  the  famous 
words  in  Lord  Beauchamp's  Convention  "  Autant  que 
les  circonstances  permettent" — that  under  this  idea  the 
King  of  Prussia  affected  to  be  always  waiting  for  a 
plan  of  campaign  from  the  Emperor,  and  left  him,  the 
Duke  of  Brunswick,  under  this  dilemma.  "  Daiis  une 
situation  incroyahle,"  says  the  Duke.  He  added  that 
during  the  siege  of  Mentz,  Lucchesini  said  to  him, 
"  When  this  is  over  we  must  do  as  little  as  possible, 
and  leave  the  rest  to  the  Austrians  ;"  that,  however, 
it  was  the  moment  for  acting  ;  that  the  German  armies 
were  of  60,000  men  each,  and  the  French  under  Ilouchard 
on  the  Saar,  not  more  than  70,000  altogether ;  that  if 
the  Prussians  and  Austrians  had  then  advanced,  the 
campaign  would  have  been  a  glorious  one,  but  Luc- 
chesini's  cunning,  or  corruption,  and  Lord  Beauchamp's 
inability,  prevented  it.  The  Duchess,  before  whom  all 
this  was  said,  observed,  you  are  doubtless  disgusted  with 
Prussia.  "  To  be  sure,"  said  he,  "  never  was  a  man  so 
ill-used  as  I  have  been,  they  treat  me  with  civility  in 
public  in  order  to  mW'craser  in  private."  He  told  me 
Bishopswerder  had  certainly  consented  to  the  House  of 
Austria  having  Bavaria,  but  that  Lucchesini  had  declared 
to  him  (Duke  of  Brunswick)  that  this  never  should  be 
as  long  as  he  had  any  influence. 

Supper  at  IMiinchauscn's,  grand  marechal.  Court — 
played,  but  did  not  sup.  Conversation  with  Prince 
about    ]\Iacaulay — Madame  Miincliausen  joined  in   it — 


1794.]  BRUNSWICK.  187 

gossipping  and  missy — good  supper.     Madame  Riederel 
talkative,  good  humoured,  her  daughter  handsome. 


Thursday,  Dec.  25. — Dutch  messenger  despatched  to 
Berlin — brings  letter  to  the  Duke  from  Prince  of  Orange, 
with  an  account  of  the  opening  a  negotiation  for  peace, 
and  one  to  Reeden  on  the  same  subject.  I  write  to  Paget 
and  Haugwiz.  Duke  approves  my  letters.  Count  West- 
phalin,  Imperial  JVIinister  to  the  circles  of  the  Lower 
Rhine — iin  fat.  Concert.  Princess  Caroline  asks  about 
the  Duke  of  Clarence — says  she  believes  he  was  the  person 
who  first  mentioned  her  to  the  Prince. — (N.B. — My  own 
private  ideas  and  feelings  on  this  remark.) 


Friday,  Dec.  26.  —  Timms  arrives  at  two  in  the 
morning.  Orders  to  set  out.  Fleet  comes  to  Texel. 
Ratification  of  Treaty.  Present  to  Feronce.  Letter  from 
Prince — well  satisfied  and  approves  what  I  have  done — posi- 
tively refuses  to  let  Madlle.  Rosenzweit  come  over.  She 
was  to  be  a  sort  of  reader.  King  writes  on  the  subject  to 
the  Duchess  ;  both  she  and  the  Duke  press  it.  I  insist 
upon  it,  and  it  is  settled  that  she  is  not  to  accompany 
the  Princess.  Duke  takes  me  aside,  and  says  that  the 
only  reason  why  he  wished  her  to  be  with  the  Princess 
was,  that  his  daughter  writes  very  ill,  and  spells  ill,  and 
he  was  desirous  this  should  not  appear.  Aifected  to  be 
indifi"erent  about  this  refusal,  but  at  the  bottom  hurt  and 
angry.  Suspects  the  Queen,  whom  he  and  the  Duchess 
hate.  Settle  everything  for  the  journey,  and  despatch 
East  to  England  in  the  evening.  Princess  Caroline  much 
afi"ected,  very  naturally  and  very  rightly  so.  Duke  very 
anxious  about  his  daughter — again  and  again  recom- 
mends her  to  me — says  she  cannot  go  alone — she  must 
be  guided  and  directed. 


Saturday,  Dec.  27. — Stampfort — agree  to  try  to  bring 
Duke  to  a  point  as  to  the  taking  the  command  of  the 
army.     Grand  Marechal  Miinchausen  about  the  journey 


188  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [1194. 

— great  fuss  — "  beaucoup  de  bruit,  peu  de  besogne." 
Count  Westplialin  calls  upon  her — shallow  and  vain — 
silly  enough  to  tell  the  Duke  that  the  Austrian  army  was 
in  a  state  of  great  disorder,  and  the  generals  disagreeing 
amongst  themselves.  Make  visits  of  cong^ — tormented 
with  requests  and  petitions — reject  them  all. 


Sunday,  Dec.  28. — Major  Hislop  with  me — give  him  in- 
structions about  his  journey ;  to  keep  before  us  and  give 
notice  in  case  of  danger  from  the  enemy.    Parson  Macaulay 
and  Captain  Farquhar — engage  to  take  them  over  with  me. 
Mr.  Burnaby,   Archdeacon,  and  Burnaby's  son,  come  to 
Brunswick.     Audience  of  cong^ — Duchess  Dowager  takes 
me  into  her  closet — says  she  considers   me  as   one   of 
her   family  —  makes   me   sit  down  —  vastly    kind    and 
obliging — recommends   her  granddaughter — hints  about 
Lady  '''    '"    '""    ""'.      Duke  extremely  attentive — requests 
me  earnestly  again  not  to  forget  my  promise  of  taking 
care  of  his  daughter.     "  JVIa  gloire,"  said  he,  "  a  part  de 
mes  sentimens  paternels,  est   interessee   a  son  succ^s." 
He  was  much  moved,  and  betrayed  sentiments  of  feeling 
I  scarce  thought  to  be  in  him — usual  compliments  to  the 
King,  for  whom,  as  well  as  the   Queen  and  Prince,  he 
gave  me  letters.     I  mentioned  the  idea  of  his  taking  the 
command,    and  asked  him  straightforward,  whether,   if 
he  could  get  a  large  body  of  Austrians,  he  would  consent 
to  it  ? — he  was  much  more  complying  than  before,  and 
ended  by  giving  me  a   paper. — Hereditary   Prince  and 
Princess  vastly  friendly — she  a  most  admirable  charac- 
ter, all  sense  and  good  judgment ;    he  little   of  either, 
but  very  harmless  and  good-natured.     At  dinner  I  found 
the  Duchess  and  Princess  alarmed,  agitated,  and  uneasy 
at  an  anonymous  letter  from  England,  abusing  the  Prince, 
and  warning  them  in  the  most  exaggerated  terms  against 

Lady ,  who  is  represented  as  the  worst  and  most 

dangerous  of  profligate  women.  The  Duchess,  with  her 
usual  indiscretion,  had  shewn  this  to  the  Princess,  and 
mentioned  it  to  everybody.  I  Avas  quite  angry  with  her, 
>ind  could  not  avoid  expressing  my  concern,  first  at  pay- 


1794]  BRUNSWICK.  189 

ing  any  attention  to  an  anonymous  letter,  and,  secondly, 
at  being  so  very  imprudent  as  to  bruit  about  its  contents. 
The  Princess  soon  recovered  it,  but  the  Duchess  harped 
on  it  all  day.  The  Duke,  on  being  acquainted  with  it, 
thought  as  I  did,  but  was  more  uneasy  about  it  than  he 
ought.  On  his  examining  the  letter,  he  assured  me  it 
came  from  England, — (I  suspected  it  the  work  of  some  of 
the  partisans  of  Madlle.  Rosenziveit,  on  her  being  re- 
fused,)— and  that  person  who  wrote  it  wrote  in  the  charac- 
ter of  a  man,  not  a  woman,  and  said  he  was  in  the  daily 
society  of  Carlton  House.  Madlle.  Ilertzfeldt  again  talks 
to  me  as  before  about  the  Princess  Caroline — "  II  faut 
la  gouverner  par  la  peur,  par  la  terreur  mhne.  Elle 
s'6uancipera  si  on  n'y  prend  pas  garde — mais  si  on  la 
veille  soigneusement  et  severement  elle  se  conduira  bien." 
The  King  of  England,  in  a  letter  to  the  Duchess,  says, 
"  Qu'il  espere  que  sa  niece  n'aura  pas  trop  de  vivacite, 
et  qu'elle  menera  une  vie  s^dentaire  et  retiree."  These 
words  shock  Princess  Caroline,  to  whom  the  Duchess  very 
foolishly  reads  the  letter.  Princesse  Abbesse  importu- 
nately civil  and  coming,  and  plagues  me  with  her  atten- 
tions and  affectation  of  wit  and  cleverness,  and  concern 
at  our  departure.  Princess  Caroline  shews  me  the  anony- 
mous letter  about  Lady ,  evidently  written  by  some 

disappointed  milliner  or  angry  maid-servant,  and  deserv- 
ing no  attention  ;    I  am  surprised  the  Duke  aiforded  it 

any.     Aimed  at  Lady ;   its  object  to  frighten  the 

Princess  with  the  idea  that  she  would  lead  her  into 
an  affair  of  gallantry,  and  be  ready  to  be  convenient  on 
such  an  occasion.  This  did  not  frighten  the  Princess, 
although  it  did  the  Duke  and  Duchess ;  and  on  my  per- 
ceiving this,  I  told  her  Lady would  be  more  cautious 

than  to  risk  such  an  audacious  measure  ;  and  that,  besides, 
it  was  death  to  presume  to  approach  a  Princess  of  Wales, 
and  no  man  would  be  daring  enough  to  think  of  it.  She 
asked  me  whether  I  was  in  earnest.  I  said  such  was  our 
law;  that  anyliody  who  presumed  to  love  her  was  guilty 
of  high  treason,  and  punished  with  death,  if  she  was  weak 
enough  to  listen  to  him :  so  also  would  she.  This 
startled  lier. 


190  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [l795. 

Monday,  Dec.  29. — My  secretary  Ross  and  a  servant 
set  out  early.  Stampfort  with  me — settle  corresjwndeuce 
with  him.  At  twelve  breakfast  at  Court.  At  two  we 
depart — Duke  affected — recommends  again  and  again  his 
daughter— says  I  must  be  her  second  father — desires  me 
to  write  to  him.  Great  crowd  as  we  pass  through  the 
streets — cannon  fire  from  the  ramparts — escort  of  horse 
till  near  Peine.  At  Peine  the  Princess  lodged  at  a  Mr. 
;'"  we  at  the  post. 


Tuesday,  Dec.  30.— Set  out  at  eight.— At  Herenhausen 
great  dinner— all  Hanover— quite  a  Court.  Left  it  at 
four — got  to  J^eustadt  by  six — sleep  in  the  Imilliage  or 
chateau —large  house,  well  situated  on  the  river,  which 
passes  by  Hanover.     Ombre  with  the  Duchess. 


Wednesday,  Dec.  31. — To  Diepholz,  through  Vieuburg 
and  Sulingen.  At  Vieuburg  a  triumphal  arch — people  in 
the  streets — guards— God  save  the  King,  &c.  Diepholz' 
illuminated.  Severe  cold.  Lodged  again  at  the  baillage 
Roads  in  good  order — Princess  wanted  me  to  be  in  the 
same  coach  with  her— I  resisted  it  as  impossible,  from  its 
being  improper— she  disposed  to  laugh  at  the  matter — I 
discountenance  it. 


Thursday,  Jan.  1,  1795.— To  Osnabruck,-"-    through 
Bohmte— got  there  by  four— conducted  through  the  town 

to  the  palace — streets  filled — guards,  &c. — palace  fine 

due  attention,  &c.  I  receive  at  five  a  courier  to  say  the 
French  had  driven  the  Dutch  from  the  Bommelwaert, 
taken  several  battalions,  and  made  lodgement  at  Zuil, 
opposite  Bommel.  Our  journey  retarded — great  uneasi- 
ness. At  seven  news  comes  of  the  Frencli  being  driven 
back  l)y  General  Dundas  and  Lord  Cathcart.  Joy  as 
excessive  as  disappointment.     I  however  refuse  to  go  on, 

*  IllegiWe  in  MS. 

t  A  Bishopric  lield  by  tlic  Duke  of  York. 


1795.]  BRUNSWICK.  191 

the  frost  being  very  severe."^"  No  news  of  the  arrival  of 
the  fleet,  and  the  enemy  still  in  possession  of  Bonmiel, 
&c,  ;  agree,  therefore,  to  write  to  Holland  and  head- 
quarters, and  to  wait  for  news.  Mons.  le  Chambellan  cle 
Scheie  very  civil  and  attentive  ;  his  daughters,  particu- 
larly Madame  Ledebur,  pretty  and  well  looking. 


Friday,  Jais^  2. — Despatch  East  (messenger)  to  head- 
quarters, and  an  estafette  to  Brunswick  to  mention  our 
delay.     AValk — town  large.      Dinner  and  supper  as  at 

Brunswick.     Converse  with  Madame about  emigres 

— desire  her  to  distribute  what  I  intend  to  give  them  — 
their  situation  deplorable,  as  they  are  exactly  those  who, 
from  their  penury  and  want,  cannot  get  farther  on,  and 
are  dying  of  hunger,  and  through  want.  I  persuade  the 
Princess  Caroline  to  be  munificent  towards  them — she 
disposed  to  be,  but  not  knowing  hoiu  to  set  about  it.  I 
tell  her,  liberality  and  generosity  is  an  enjoyment,  not  a 
severe  virtue.  She  gives  a  louis  for  some  lottery  tickets, 
/  give  ten,  and  say  the  Princess  ordered  me —she  sur- 
prised ;  I  said  I  was  sure  she  did  not  mean  to  give  for 
the  ticket  its  precise  value,  and  that  I  forestalled  her  in- 
tention. Next  day  a  French  emigre,  with  a  pretty  child, 
draws  near  the  table — the  Princess  Caroline  immediately, 
of  her  own  accord,  puts  ten  louis  in  a  paper,  and  gives  it 
the  child  ;  the  Duchess  observes  it,  and  inquires  of  me 
(I  was  dining  between  them)  what  it  was.  I  tell  her  a 
demand  on  her  purse.  She  embarrassed — "  Je  n'ai  que 
mes  beaux  doubles  louis  de  Brunsmck."  I  answer, 
"  Qu'ils  deviendront  plus  beaux  entre  les  mains  de  cet 
enfant  que  dans  sa  poche."  She  ashamed,  and  gives 
three  of  them.  In  the  evening.  Princess  Caroline,  to 
whom  these  sort  of  virtues  were  never  preached,  on  my 
praising  the  coin  of  the  money  at  Brunswick,  offers  me 
very  seriously  eight  or  ten  double  louis,  saying,  "  Cela 
ne  me  fait  rien — je  ne  m'en  soucie  pas — je  vous  prie  de 

*  The  frost  prevented  our  ships  getting  into  Helvoetshiys  to  embark  the 
Princess,  and  Lord  M.  was  afraid  of  being  taken  by  the  French  in  their 
absence. 


192  DIARIES  AND    CORRESPONDENCE.  [l795. 

les  prendre."  I  mention  these  facts  to  sliew  her  charac- 
ter :  it  could  not  distinguish  between  giving  as  a  bene- 
volence, and  flinging  away  the  money  like  a  child.  She 
thought  that  the  act  of  getting  rid  of  the  money,  and  not 
seeming  to  care  about  it,  constituted  the  merit.  I  took 
an  opportunity  at  supper  of  defining  to  her  what  real 
benevolence  was,  and  I  recommended  it  to  her  as  a 
quality  that  would,  if  rightly  employed,  make  her  more 
admirers,  and  give  her  more  true  satisfaction,  than  any 
that  human  nature  could  possess.  The  idea  was,  I  was 
sorry  to  see,  new  to  her,  but  she  felt  the  truth  of  it ;  and 
she  certainly  is  not  fond  of  money,  which  both  her 
parents  are. 

Satukday,  Jan.  3. — Dusseldorff  Gallery  was  brought  to 
Osnabruck  to  be  secure — some  of  its  finest  pictures  spoilt 
— some  famous  Vanderveldts,  and  a  Gerard  Dow — "  And 
who  is  Gerard  Dow  V  says  the  Duchess,  "  teas  he  of 
Dusseldorff  f  "  Seneque  etoit-il  de  Paris  V  Visit  all  the 
town — severe  cold — great  uneasiness  about  Holland,  &c. 
Court  well  served — good  dinner,  good  wine,  &c.  I  re- 
ceive by  Captain  Farquhar  a  very  foolish  coming  letter 
from  the  Princess  Abbesse  of  Brunswick — take  no  notice 
of  it. 

Sunday,  Jx^lN.  4. — At  six  o'clock  letters  from  Lord  St. 
Helens,  and  Count  Harcourt,  arrive  from  the  General  Har- 
court ;  both  recommend  our  going  on,  but  Count  Har- 
court describes  the  situation  of  Holland  so  critical  on  the 
side  of  Williamstadt,  and  the  frost  as  so  hard,  that  I 
demur,  particularly  as  I  am  witliout  accounts  of  the  fleet 
being  at  the  Texel — anxious  day — one  of  doubt  and 
thinking.  I  tell  Madame  Ledebur  that  I  will  send  her  1 50 
louis  to  be  distributed  by  her  amongst  the  French 
emigres — she  astonished  at  the  sum.  Baron  Freytag, 
Grand  IVlarslial,  arrives — takes  Scheie's  place,  but  does  not 
fill  it  so  well.  In  the  evening  I  write  and  despatch  Van- 
scheik  to  the  Hague  to  say,  unless  there  is  a  thaAv,  I  shall 
not  set  out  —  assign  my  reasons,  &c.  ]\Iany  petitions 
from    emigres — reject    all    of   them  —  desire  those   who 


1795.]  BRUNSWICK.  193 

want  me  to  see  them  to  say,  that  I  never  saw  or  heard 
a  Frenchman,  that  my  inclination  to  assist  him  did  not 
go  off — that  I  would  give  them  money,  hut  nothing  else. 
Princess  Caroline  very  gauche  at  cards — speaks  without 
thinking  —  gets  too  easy  —  calls  the  ladies  (she  never 
saw)  "  Mon  coeur,  ma  chere,  ma  petite."  I  notice  this, 
and  reprove  it  strongly.  The  Princess,  for  the  first 
time,  disposed  to  take  it  amiss  ;  I  do  not  pretend  to  ob- 
serve it.  Duchess  wants  to  return  to  Brunswick,  and  leave 
us  to  go  on  by  ourselves ;  this  I  oppose,  and  suppose  it 
impossible.  "  K  I  am  taken,"  says  she,  "  I  am  sure  the 
King  will  be  angry." — "  He  will  be  very  sorry,"  I  reply  ; 
"  but  your  Royal  Highness  must  not  leave  your  daughter 
till  she  is  in  the  hands  of  her  attendants."  She  argues, 
but  /  will  not  give  way,  and  she  does. 


Monday,  Jx\x.  .5. — \Yind  changes  to  S.W.  Dutch  mes- 
senger from  Berlin — bad  there  —  all  rogues  and  fools. 
Letters  from  Duke  of  Brunswick  and  Hereditary  Princess. 
Decide  to  set  off  on  Thursday  if  weather  remains  mild. 
See  Miinchausen  on  this  point. 


Tuesday,  Jan.  6.  —  Thaw.  Hold  my  resolution  of 
going.  Despatch  East  at  eleven  with  letters  to  Eng- 
land, to  Lord  St.  Helens,  and  General  Harcourt.  French 
women,  with  their  children,  attend  now  every  day  at 
dinner  in  order  to  get  something  from  the  Princess.  I 
make  her  observe  it,  and  advise  her  not  to  give,  as  this 
is  a  trick — to  enquire  who  is  the  most  in  want,  and 
send  it  to  them  through  her  ladies.  I  send  Mr.  Ross  with 
150  louis  to  Madame  Ledebur,  desiring  her  to  conceal  my 
name,  and  not  to  distribute  it  till  I  have  left  Osna- 
bruck.  Count  Harcourt  returns  to  the  head-quarters. 
Conversation  after  dinner  with  Mons.  Busch,  Duke  of 
York's  Minister,  a  well-informed,  sensible,  strong-headed 
man. 

VOL.  III.  0 


194  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [l795. 

Wednesday,  Jan.  7. — Hunter  (messenger)  arrives  from 
Major  Hislop — brings  accounts  that  everything  is  appa- 
rently quiet.  Thaw  ceases — but  I  hold  my  intention  of 
going,  and  of  trying  to  pass  through  Holland — my  se- 
cretary and  young  Fitzgerald  set  out.  Dinner  and  supper 
as  usual.  Previous  to  our  going,  arrangements  were  taken 
about  proper  gratifications  and  presents.  Princess  of 
Wales  (at  my  instigation)  directs  me  to  say  to  Messrs. 
Freytag  and  Scheie  that  she  has  nothing  with  her,  but 
that  she  will  send  them  marks  of  her  recollection  from 
England.  I  tell  her  before  several  people,  "  Que  je  me 
suis  acquitte  de  ses  ordres."  "  C'est  bien  a  moi,"  says  she, 
"  de  vous  donner  des  ordres" — it  put  me  in  mind  of— 
"A  glass  of  small  beer,  good  Mr.  Butler."  I  prevail  on 
the  Duchess  to  be  liberal  on  going  away — to  give  50 
louis  to  the  house,  &c. — much  against  her  inclination. 


Thursday,  Jan.  8. — Leave  Osnabruck  at  seven,  ]\Ions. 
Freytag  attending.  Cannon  fire  from  the  ramparts.  Arrive 
at  Bentheim  at  five — roads  good — frost  sharp — lodged 
at  the  President's,  Mr.  Fonk  —  odd  figure  —  but  Count 
Bentheim  de  Steinfort,  who  comes  to  pay  his  duties  to 
the  Princess,  much  more  so  —  tlie  most  exaggerated 
macaroni  in  their  day  not  equal  to  his  dress,  and  his 
manners  apparently  correspond  ;  yet  he  is  no  fool,  and 
has  the  reputation  of  a  very  domestic  man  and  good 
master.  It  was  with  great  difficulty  I  kept  the  Princess 
from  laughing  out — the  Duchess  did,  but  it  was  not  per- 
ceived. I  slept  in  the  Judge's  house.  Note  from  Sirs. 
Parkhurst. 


Friday,  Jan.  9. — Leave  Bentheim  at  seven — Delden  at 
twelve  ;  about  four  leagues  further  on,  Yauscheick,  whom 
I  had  sent  on,  on  Sunday  the  4th,  met  me  with  letters 
from  Lord  St.  Helen's,  dated  the  same  morning,  saying 
the  French  had  passed  the  Waal — that  they  were  near 
Baren,  and  that  there  had  been  fighting  all  day  ;  he  re- 
commends our  turning  back,  and  says  General  Ilarcourt 


1795.]  BRUNSWICK.  195 

also  advises  it.  I  mentioned  this  to  the  Princesses,  and  I 
must  in  justice  say  that  the  Princess  Caroline  bore  this 
disappointment  with  more  good  temper,  good  humour, 
and  patience,  than  could  be  expected,  particularly  as  she 
felt  it  very  much.  We  return  to  Delden,  where  we  slept 
in  the  inn.  I  despatched  letters  to  the  head-quarters,  to 
the  Hague,  and  to  England  ;  and  Elliot,  who  had  been 
with  me  till  now,  undertook  to  go  to  the  Texel  (where  I 
expected  the  fleet  would  be),  and  to  tell  Commodore 
Payne  the  reasons  which  prevented  me  from  joining  it. 
Bad  night,  and  bad  room.  A  heavy  cannonade  was  heard  all 
night  at  no  great  distance.  The  Princess  in  the  morning 
seemed  sorry  not  to  go  on  towards  the  fleet.  I  mentioned 
this  cannonade.  "  Cela  ne  fait  rien,"  says  she,  "  je  n'ai 
pas  peur  des  canons." — "  Mais,  Madame,  le  danger  d'etre 
pris."  "  Vous  ne  m'y  exposerez  pas,"  said  she.  I  told  her 
the  story  of  the  Queen  of  France  (St.  Louis's  wife)  during 
the  siege  of  Damiette,  and  Le  Sieur  de  Joinville  -I  said, 
"  Qu'elle  valoit  mieux  que  cella  la,  que  les  Fran9ois 
seroient  pires  que  les  Sarrazins,  et  que  moi  j'ai  pense 
comme  le  Chevalier."  The  story  pleased.  "  J'aurois  fait 
et  desir^  comme  elle,"  said  she. 


Jan.  10. — Leave  Delden  at  nine — get  to  Bentheim  by 
two — castle  fine  —  situation  striking.  Fonk  as  before, 
but  instead  of  blue  and  gold,  grey  and  gold.  He  tells 
our  fortunes  by  examining  the  hand.  Call  on  Mrs. 
Parkhurst — very  handsome — in  distress.  A  desire  from 
a  Madame  Beaucorps  to  see  me — I  wish  her  to  write 
— call  on  her,  find  her  with  two  nieces,  daughters  of 
a  Mons.  Lancloski,  in  great  distress — these  children,  the 
one  fourteen,  the  other  tAvelve — I  relieve  them.  Re- 
turn to  the  Duchess  and  play  at  ombre — she  observes 
I  am  low-spirited — I  tell  her  the  situation  of  the  people 
I  have  been  seeing — she  does  not  comprehend  this  can 
afiect  the  spirits,  and  persists  in  taxing  me  with  being 
bored,  and  so  pertinaciously,  that  I  am  forced  to  say 
I  am  very  near  it.  Strange  mixture — much  goodness, 
but  all  her  feelings  like  her  understanding,  jumbled  to- 

o  2 


190  DURIES  AND  CORRESPONDENCE.  [l705. 

getlier  and  confused.     She  does  much  good  at  Brunswick, 
but  it  is  mecliamcally  ;  her  charity  is  not  up  to  a  sur- 
prise,   and    if  misfortune   takes   her    unexpectedly,   she 
shuts  the  door  against  it.     I  clearly  perceived  she,  and 
much  more   her  suite,    disapproved   exceedingly  my  in- 
stigating the    Princess  Caroline   to   be  very   profuse  in 
her  acts  of  benevolence;  they  considere<i  it  as  so  much 
taken  from  tloem.     L,  however,  continued  to  preach  this 
doctrine,   and  I  was  glad  to  find  the  Princess  admit  it 
most  readily  ;  this,  and  her  behaviour  on  being  obliged 
to  retrograde,  pleased  me  very  much  ;  if  her  education 
had  been  what  it  ought  she  might  have  turned  out  ex- 
cellent, but  it  was  that  ver\'  nonsensical  one  that  most 
women  receive — one  of  privation,  injunction,  and  menace; 
to  believe  no  man,  and  never  to  express  what  they  feel,  or 
say  what  they  think,  for  all  men  are  inclined  to  entrap 
them,  and  all  feelings  are  improper ;  this  vitiates  or  abruti 
all  women, — few  escape.     On  summing  up  Princess  Ca- 
roline's character  to-day,  it  came  out   to   my  mind  to 
Ije,  that  she  has  quick  parts,  without  a   sound  or  dis- 
tinguishing understanding  ;    that   she  has  a  ready  con- 
ception, but  no  judgment  ;  caught  by  the   first  impres- 
sion, led  by  the  first  impulse ;  turned  away  by  apjjear- 
ances  or  enjouement ;  loving  to  talk,  and  prone  to  con- 
fide and  make  missish  friendships  that  last  twenty-four 
hours.     Some  natural,  but  no  acquired  morality,  and  no 
strong  innate  notions  of  its  value  and   necessity ;  warm 
feelings  and  nothing  to  counterbalance  them  ;  great  good 
humour  and  much  good  nature — no  apf)eardnce  of  caprice 
— rather  quick  and  vive,  but  not    a    grain    of   rancour. 
From  her   habits,  from   the   life   she   was   allowed   and 
even  comj.^elled  to   live,  forced   to    dissemble ;   fond   of 
gossipiug,  and  this  strengthened  greatly  by  the  example 
of  her  good    mother,    wh<.»   is  all    curiosity    and    inqui- 
sitiveness,  and  who  has  no  notion  of  not  gratifying  this 
desire  at  any  price.     In  short,  the  Princess  in  the  hands 
of  a  steady  and   sensible  man  would  pruljably  turn  out 
well,  but  wliere  it  is  likely  she  will  find  faults  ]x?rfectly 
analogous  to  her  own,  she  will  fail     She  has  no  govern- 
ing jx>wers,  although  her  mind  is  phn  ,  strong.     She 


1795.]  BRUNSWICK.  197 

has  her  father's  courage,  but  it  is  to  her  (as  to  him)  of  no 
avail.  He  wants  meutal  decisiou;  she  character  and 
tact. 

Sunday,  Jan,  11. — On  leaving  Bentheini  it  was  thouglit 
expedient  to  give  something  to  Fonk,  who  would  not  take 
mouej.  Duchess  (speaking,  I  am  sure,  after .  the  Duke, 
who  is  a  servile  imitation  of  the  late  King  of  Prussia) 
talks  of  sending  him  some  porcelaine  from  Brunswick. 
Prene,  who  is  her  grand  ma  It  re,  and  very  liberal,  objects 
and  comes  to  me — I  speak  to  Princess  Caroline ;  she  im- 
mediately recollects  a  diamond  ring  she  has,  sends  for 
it,  and  gives  it  to  Madame  Fonk — this  pleases  me.  A 
messenger  (Sir  ]\I.  Eden's,  maitre  d'hotel)  passes  through 
Bentheim — write  by  him  to  Lord  St.  ilelens.  Leave 
about  seven — get  to  Osnabruck  at  six  r.M, — settle  with 
Baron  Freytag  {grand  marcc/tal)  about  the  expenses 
— agree  that  they  should  be  at  the  expense  of  the  Duke 
of  York.  Small  dinners  four  times  a  week — servants  on 
board  Avages.  I  engage  for  the  King  to  repay  Duke  of 
York.  At  supper  Princess  Caroline  very  cheerful,  and 
pleasantly  so — understands  a  joke  and  can  make  one. 
Freytag,  Scheie,  and  Busche,  no  ladies. 


Monday,  JaxN.  12. — Hunter  from  llislop — (Hunter  talks 
and  tells  stories,  I  reprove  him  very  sharply) — no  material 
alteration.  Call  on  Conitesse  Walnioden,  amiable  and 
pleasant — her  daughter-in-law  very  much  so — walk  — 
thaw.  At  dinner  Princess  uneasy  about  a  Mr.  Stralford 
Smith,  who  formerly  was  well,  "  au  mieiix"  with  the  Ab- 
besse,  her  aunt,  (as  she  tells  me,)  and  who  threatens  that 
if  he  is  not  placed  about  the  Prince's  new  Court,  he 
will  publish  the  correspondence  between  them.  Duke 
writes  to  her  about  him  — says  he  has  a  cold,  which  tlie 
Duchess  affects  to  lie  uneasy  about.  Duchess  has  a 
Iiankering  to  leave  her  daughter,  and  return  to  Bruns- 
wick -very  evident  from  her  manner — /  wont  licar  of 
it.  She  told  me  at  dinner  that  the  Duke  was  in  love 
with  Duchess  of  G  ^''   '"'   ■^"'  ^%  Lady  0  ^'  '"'  ^'  ^'%  and  Lady 


198  DIARIES  AND  CORRESPONDENCE.  [l795. 

D.  B.  "'  """  '"  '"' — that  he  kept  at  the  same  time  an  Italian 
girl.  All  this  in  1766,  when  he  was  in  England — she 
knew  it  all — it  made  her  uneasy,  but  she  held  her  tongue. 
Presidente  Walmoden  —  Princess  Caroline  aflects  to  dis- 
like her,  to  call  her  a  bore,  &c.  I  say  she  ought  to  ask  her 
to  play  with  her — she  does  it,  but  reluctantly,  and  during 
the  party  whispers  and  giggles  with  some  of  the  young 
women.  I  notice  this  to  her  afterwards,  as  what  I  could 
not  approve.  I  do  it  as  gently,  but  as  strongly  as  I 
dare.  She  at  first  disposed  to  contend  the  point  with 
me,  but  at  last  confesses  I  am  right,  and  promises  to 
correct  herself.  My  freedom  at  first  discomposed  her, 
but  finding  me  seem  very  indifierent  as  to  her  liking 
or  not  liking  what  I  said,  she  became  herself  soon 
again,  and  ended  by  taking  it  very  right,  and  was  in 
perfect  good  humour  during  the  supper.  The  Duchess 
delighted  with  the  Presidente,  who  is  a  clever  talkative 
woman.  They  told  stories  all  supper,  and  amongst 
others,  (strange  as  it  may  appear,)  the  Duchess  told  me 
that  when  they  were  quite  children  she  and  her  brother 
the  King  slept  in  the  same  bed,  that  he  was  as  disagree- 
able a  bed-fellow  as  any  royal  or  plebeian  infant  could  be, 
but  that  her  father  (the  late  Prince  of  Wales)  cured  him 
of  his  fault  by  making  him  wear  the  blue  ribbon  with  a 
piece  of  china  attached  to  it,  which  was  not  the  George. 


Tuesday,  Jan.  13. — Hard  frost  —  streets  slippery. 
Freytag  proposes  a  concert,  providing  somebody  will 
pay  for  it.  As  /  think  that  whenever  a  great  Princess 
is  in  a  little  town  she  should  make  a  strong  impression, 
I  assure  him  the  Princess  Caroline  will.  Dinner  in 
small  apartment.  Visit  Mesdames  de  Scheie  and  Wal- 
moden— last  amiable  and  sensible.     Supper  as  usual. 


AVednesday,  Jan.  14.  —  Timms  (messenger)  returns 
with  answer  to  my  letters  from  Delden.  Holland  in  the 
last  stage  of  danger.  Send  Hunter  on  to  Hanover.  Write 
to  Kiclmanseggc.     My  design  of  bringing  the  Princesses 


1795.]  BRUNSWICK.  199 

there.  Call  on  Madame  Ledebur,  and  appoint  Madame 
Lamberty  to  meet  me.  N.B. — I  saw  her  at  Bentheim, 
and  wish  to  settle  something  for  them.  Paget  arrives 
from  Berlin  and  Brunswick.  Prussian  Monarch  remains 
the  same.  Stampfort  proposes  that  Duke  should  go  to 
Berlin,  with  ample  means  and  full  powers.  Princess 
Caroline  foolish  about  Paget — uncivil  to  him — I  remon- 
strate— she  says  she  disliked  him  at  first  sight — I  reprove 
this  sort  of  hasty  judgment — read  a  lecture  upon  it — she 
argues  —  is  inwardly  angry,  but  conceals  it.  Write  to 
the  Hague  and  to  England  by  Timms  and  Paget,  who 
go  away  at  twelve.  Paget  clever,  and  growing  industrious 
and  pains-taking.  Walk. —  Princess  coldish  at  dinner 
— I  do  not  remark  it,  and  she  comes  round.  Concert 
—  Princess  pays  twenty  louis  for  it.  Yanscheick  re- 
turns— bad  news  continues.  The  Dutch  on  the  point  of 
giving  in.  Lord  St.  Helens  talks  of  flying.  Frost  severer 
than  ever.  Lieutenant-Colonel  Gun  comes  in  his  way 
to  Brunswick  to  fetch  the  troops — old  and  odd  soldier — 
amuses  the  Duchess. 


Friday,  Jan.  16. — At  Madame  Ledebur,  to  meet  Mes- 
dames  Lamberty  and  Beaucorps  —  inquire  into  their 
situation  and  those  of  their  nieces  —  resolved  to  relieve 
them.  Abb6  Dillon  and  L.  Pierrepont  arrive.  Call  on 
Comtesse  Walmoden — sensible,  good,  and  interesting — 
proposes  me  to  stand  godfather  to  her  child  with  Prince 
Adolphus,  Duke  of  York,  and  Mrs.  Harcourt.  No  event. 
Duchess  takes  to,  and  talks  to  Dillon — he  overwhelms 
Pierrepont. — Nevei"  let  a  Frenchman  and  an  Abbe  travel 
with  a  young  Englishman. 


Saturday,  Jan.  17. — Dillon  is  brother  to  the  Beau 
Dillon  and  Madame  d' Osmond.  Hunter  returns  from 
Hanover.  Count  Kielmansegge  writes  me  word  that  the 
Chateau  is  at  our  service.  Settle  to  go  away  on  Thursday 
the  22nd.  Duchess  makes  difficulties  about  receiving  the 
proper  honours  there.     I  insist  on  the  Princess  of  Wales 


200  DIARIES  AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [l795. 

taking  them. — Christening  of  the  Comtesse  Walmoden's 
child- — he  is  named  James  —  all  the  principal  people 
there.  The  chief  families  here  (les  families  chapitrales) 
are  Busche,  Weitz,  Ledebur,  Hammerstein,  and  Scheie. 
Chapter  composed  of  twentj-one,  reckoning  le  Grand 
Prevot  and  Grand  Doyen.  Presidente  Walmodeu  still 
here — sensible,  but  not  suave.  Madlle.  Frederica  Wal- 
moden  very  pretty  —  her  sister,  Madame  L n  sepa- 
rated from  her  husband  on  account  of  young  A m. 

Supper  as  usual.  Princess  too  apt  to  joke  about  the 
Duchess — I  constantly  jroimi  at  it — she  remarks  it,  and 
corrects  herself.  I  preach  to  her  about  circumspection, 
&c.  while  at  Hanover. 


Sunday,  Jan.  18. — Despatch  at  eleven  Vanscheick  to 
Hanover,  to  announce  our  near  arrival,  and  at  twelve 
Hunter  to  the  head-quarters,  to  mention  our  departure. 
Queen's  birthday — gala — great  dinner — all  the  clergy. — 
Duchess  shams  sick,  in  order  not  to  go  to  the  sennon,  to 
avoid  paying  for  it.  Princess  gives  fifteen  louis.  ]\Ir. 
and  Mrs.  Parkhurst  arrive.  Princess  Caroline  very 
missish  at  supper.  I  much  fear  these  habits  are  irre- 
coverably rooted  in  her — she  is  naturally  curious,  and 
a  gossip — she  is  quick  and  observing,  and  she  has  a  silly 
pride  of  finding  out  everything — she  thinks  herself  parti- 
cularly acute  in  discovering  likings,  and  this  leads  her  at 
times  to  the  most  improper  remarks  and  conversation. — 
I  am  determined  to  take  an  opportunity  of  correcting 
her,  coute  qu'il  coute. 


Monday,  Jan.  19. — At  IVIadame  Scheie's  to  meet  Mes- 
dames  Lamberty  and  Beaucorps,  and  Mrs.  Parkhurst. 
Courier  passes  from  the  Hague — difficulty  in  getting 
through.  French  at  Arnheim.  Princess  of  Orange's 
escape  doubtful — Lord  St.  Helens'  and  Elliot's  still  more 
so. — Harold  and  another,  apparently  adventurers — say 
they  have  lost  a  letter  from  Sir  B.  Boothby. 


1795.]  BRUNSWICK.  201 

Tuesday,  Jan.  20. — Madame  Walmodeu.  ]\rrs.  Park- 
liurst — she  interesting,  but  not  disposed  to  open.  ]\Iadame 
la  Presidente  Walmoden — sensible — well-disposed — ra- 
ther gossiping,  and  somewhat  michante — but  does  much 
good — talks  to  me  of  Madame  L n,  and  her  ad- 
venture with  Fritz  A m — of  Madame  la  G^nerale 

Walmoden,  and  all  sorts  of  subjects,  but  listens  to  none. 
Dinner  as  usual.  After  dinner,  Vinck,  the  Grand  Ecuyer, 
makes  me  a  strange  proposal  about  giving  the  Low  Coun- 
tries to  the  Landgrave  of  Hesse  Cassel — tells  me  of  a 
Prussian  army  in  Westphalia,  and  of  the  King  of  Prussia's 
being  at  the  head  of  it — and  such  stuff.  Visit  Madame 
Walmoden  —  Burgomestre    Overskje    there  —  she   very 

amiable  and  good.     Captain    ,*  from  the   Duke   of 

Brunswick.  Duke  writes  very  nervously  to  the  Duchess 
and  Princess — betrays  his  i^eal  character.  Duchess  and 
Princess  vastly  alarmed — I  endeavoured  to  quiet  them — 
difficult,  because  I  can  find  no  very  valid  reason. 


Wedxeslay,  Jan.  21. — Things  in  Holland  very  bad. 
]\h\jor  Ilislop  arrives  safe — uneasy  about  Macaulay  and 
Farquhar.  Timms  and  Hunter  from  head-quarters — news 
deplorable — Holland  lost — Paget  safe — boats  established 
at  Embden.  Princess  Caroline  has  a  tooth  drawn— she 
sends  it  down  to  me  by  her  page — nasty  and  indelicate. 
Visit  Madame  Ledebur  and  Walmoden,  and  Connnander 
Miinster — he  shows  me  a  letter  from  Golowkin,  Governor 
of  Amsterdam,  which  begins,  "  Notre  histoire  est  finie" 
The  French  expected  at  Amsterdam  on  the  19th,  Con- 
stant and  six  others  gone  as  deputies  from  Amsterdam. 

Royer  and '"'  from   the   Hague — all   lost.     ]\Iadame 

Walmoden's  submission,  goodness,  and  good  sense  very 
great. — B.  Watson  about  magazines,  and  King  of  Prussia's 
prohibition — send  his  letter  to  Lord  H.  Spencer.  Busche, 
conseiller  prive  and  Minister  to  the  Duke  of  York,  tells 
me  that  the  Duke  is  the  best  master  and  best  sovereign 
possible  ;  that  although  the  wealth  and  means  of  the 
Bishoprick  are  increased,  he  requires  less  from  them  as  don 

*  Name  illegible  in  MS. 


202  DIARIES  AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [l795. 

gratult  than  any  of  his  protestant  predecessors.  They 
received  a  hundred  years  ago  from  100,000  to  130,000 
crowns.  The  Duke  receives  only  90,000  (the  demesnes, 
which  are  small,  not  included)  ;  that  he  keeps  an  expen- 
sive court,  (besides  paying  for  a  regiment,)  that  they  kept 
none  ;  that  he  is  benevolent  and  gives  pensions,  they  gave 
none  ;  that,  in  short,  he  gives  more  and  receives  less  than 
any  of  his  predecessors  ;  that  he  never  is  at  law  with  the 
States,  who  from  being  priests  and  catholics,  always  wish 
to  wrangle  with  their  Sovereign  when  a  protestant. 
Busche  quotes  several  traits  of  the  Duke's  kindness,  and 
says  with  great  candour  and  spirit,  ^''  if  anybody  complains 
that  this  country  is  harshly  and  unfairly  governed,  let 
them  lay  the  blame  on  me  for  not  executing  properly  the 
Duke's  orders,  which  are  all  calcidated  for  the  ease  or 
good  of  the  subject,  and  not  on  the  Duhe  himself,  who 
means  they  should  cdl  be  happy  and  comfortable!'  I  was 
much  pleased  with  this  assertion.  He  and  Freytag  sorry 
to  hear  Count  d'Artois'"'  was  coming  here.  I  advise  them 
to  treat  him  with  great  civility,  but  not  give  him  the 
chateau.  Osnabruck  manages  its  own  police — makes  its 
own  bye-laws -- taxes  itself — administers  its  own  justice 
— the  Sovereign  only  an  appeal  in  last  resort.  Yet,  not- 
withstanding all  these  circumstances,  which  contribute  to 
make  it  the  freest  town  in  Germany,  people  are  disaffected 
and  jacobinically  inclined. 


Thursday,  Jan.  22. — Left  Osnabruck  at  9.  Ilislop 
with  me  in  my  carriage.  Cold  intense — 17  degrees 
below  zero,  Reaumur's  scale.  Pass  through  Bohmte  and 
get  to  Diepholz  by  4 — seven  miles — lodge  as  before  at 

the .     Duchess  overcome  with  the  cold.     Play  at 

ombre — servants  on  the  outside  quite  frozen. 


Friday,  Jan.  23. — Leave  Diepholz  at  a  quarter  before 
8.     Cold  increased.     Pass  through  Sulingen  and  Vienburg 

*  Aftenvanls   Charles   X.   of  France,  and   iLtlironed   by  tlie  revolution 
of  183U. 


1795.  J  BRUNSWICK.  203 

to  Neustadt — roads  good — arrive  there  at  a  quarter  past 
6 — nine  miles  and  a  half.  Duchess  sleepy  and  quite  be- 
numbed with  the  excessive  cold,  which  is  greater  than 
I  ever  felt  out  of  Russia.  She  retires  early.  I  have  a 
long  and  serious  conversation  with  the  Princess  about 
her  conduct  at  Hanover,  about  the  Prince,  about  her- 
self and  her  character.  She  much  disposed  to  listen 
to  me,  and  to  take  nothing  wrong.  I  tell  her,  and  I 
tell  her  truly,  that  the  impressions  she  gives  at  Hanover 
will  be  that  on  which  she  will  be  received  by  the  King 
and  Queen  in  England.  I  recommend  great  attention 
and  reserve — to  try  to  please  the  graver  men  and  elderly 
women.  I  told  her  she  was  Zemire  and  Hanover  Azoi\ 
and  that  if  she  behaved  right  the  monster  would  be 
metamorphosed  into  a  beauty  ;  that  BeulwHz,  (at  the 
head  of  the  regency,  the  most  ugly  and  most  disagreeable 
man  possible,)  would  change  into  the  Prince  of  Wales ; 
that  the  habit  of  proper,  princely  behaviour  was  natural 
to  her  ;  that  it  would  come  of  itself ;  that  acquired  by 
this  (in  that  respect)  fortunate  delay  in  our  journey,  it 
would  belong  to  her,  and  be  familiar  to  her  on  her  com- 
ing to  England,  where  it  would  be  of  infinite  advantage. 
She  expresses  uneasiness  about  the  Prince  ;  talked  of  his 
being  unlihe,  quite  opposite  to  the  King  and  Queen  in  his 
ideas  and  habits  ;  that  he  had  contracted  them  from  the 
vuide  in  his  situation  ;  that  she  was  made  to  fill  this  up  ; 
she  would  domesticate  him — give  him  a  relish  for  all  the 
private  and  home  virtues  ;  that  he  would  then  be  happier 
than  ever  ;  that  the  nation  expected  this  at  her  hands  ; 
that  /  kneiu  she  was  capable  of  doing,  and  that  she  would 
do  it. — She  hesitated. — I  said,  that  I  had  seen  enousrh  of 
her  to  be  quite  sure  her  mind  and  understanding  were 
equal  to  any  exertions  ;  that,  therefore,  if  she  did  not  do 
quite  right,  and  come  up  to  everytJiing  that  was  expected 
from  her,  she  would  have  no  excuse.  I  added,  I  was 
so  sure  of  this,  that  it  would  be  the  first  thing  I  should 
tell  the  Kinq  and  Queen,  and  that  therefore  she  must  be 
prepared  ;  that  they  would  know  her  as  well,  and  judge 
her  as  favourably,  and  at  the  same  time  as  severely  as  I 
did.     I  saw  this  had  the  efiect  I  meant ;  it  put  a  curb  on 


204  DIARIES  AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [l795. 

her  desire  of  amusement  ;  a  drawback  on  her  situation,  and 
made  her  feel  that  it  was  not  to  be  all  one  of  roses.  She 
ended  on  retiring  by  saying,  she  hoped  the  Prince  would 
let  her  see  me,  since  she  never  could  expect  any  one 
would  give  her  such  good  and  such  free  advice  as  myself ; 
and,  added  she,  "  I  confess  I  could  not  hear  it  from  any 
one  but  you." 

Saturday,  Jan.  24. — Left  Newstadt  at  a  quarter  past 

10.     '"  and  his  sister  good  people,  everything  clean 

and  comfortable — she  makes  excellent  pot-pourri.  Get 
to  Hanover  at  1.  Escort  at  Herenhausen  to  meet  the 
Princess.  Duchess  on  her  arrival  very  disagreeable  about 
the  cold,  peevish,  and  ill-mannered.  Princess  Caroline 
much  otherwise.  Duchess  troublesome  about  choosing 
her  apartment — complains  vulgarly  of  the  cold,  Marechal 
lleden  at  supper.  Mesdames  Waggenheim  and  Stein- 
bergen  at  dinner.  I  call  on  Kielmanscgge.  Great  un- 
easiness about  the  array.     Plan  of  defence. 


Sunday,  Jan.  2.5. — Waggenheim  (Grand  Marshal)  with 
me — settle  about  the  order  of  the  Court,  and  way  of  liv- 
ing, lie  a  hutor — no  head — drinks.  His  wife  not  a 
bufor,  but  also  drinks.  Ministers  of  the  Ilcgency  dine 
with  us.  Visit  in  the  evening  as  usual — Court,  and  great 
supper. 

Monday,  Jan.  26. — Miinchhausen  goes  to  Brunswick. 
Write  to  the  Duke — Duke's  alarms  puerile  and  feminine 
— excessive — writes  them  to  his  wife  and  daughter — he 
never  can  be  fit  for  a  commission  of  difficulty,  or  a  trust 
where  there  is  doubt  and  dilemma.  Theatre  in  the  even- 
ing.    I  write,  and  visit  Mrs.  Parkhurst. 


Tuesday,  Jan.  27. — Hunter  from  the  army  early.  Sad 
fate  of  the  House  of  Orange — courage  of  the  Stadtholder. 
Count  Kielmansegge   with   me,     Tlieir   ideas  of  defence 

*  Naiuf  illegible  ill  MS. 


1795.]  BRUNSWICK.  205 

combined  with  the  Landgrave  of  Ilesse,  and  to  be  assisted 
bj  the  Duke  of  Brunswick.  Despatch  Timms  bj  Embden. 
Dinner  as  usual.  Visit  theatre.  Duchess  declines  a 
Court  day  on  Wednesday — I  insist  upon  it,  and  carry  my 
point.  Queen's  brother,  Prince  Ernest,  not  unclever, 
well-behaved,  and  gentlemanlike — rather  effeminate — 
Duchess  told  me  he  was  not  fond  of  women — he  to  com- 
mand the  Cordon,  and  be  at  Diepholz. 


Wednesday,  Jan.  28. — Long  walk.  General  Veyn- 
hausen  from  Cassel — going  to  England — tells  me  that  the 
Landgrave  is  disposed  to  do  everything — give  him  an 
order  for  a  boat.     Letters  from  Duke  of  Brunswick. 


Thursday,  Jan.  29. — Henuber,  Hanoverian  resident, 
arrives  from  the  Hague.  Write  to  Count  Walmoden, 
through  Marshal  Freyberg.  Henuber  with  me — gives 
me  an  account  of  what  passed  at  the  Hague  up  to  the 
18th — all  lost — Despatch  an  estafette  to  Brunswick  with 
this  account  to  be  shewn  to  the  Hereditary  Princess. 
Assembly  at  Madame  de  Reden's.  Sup  at  Court.  Re- 
ceive an  estafette  from  Lord  H.  Spencer,  with  infor- 
mation that  he  has  obtained  leave  for  the  giving  out 
of  grain  and  forage  from  East  Friesland. 


Friday,  Jan.  30th. — Count  Kielraansegge  with  me — 
talk  over  the  situation  of  the  Electorate — the  danger  of  a 
French  invasion,  &c.  I  send  Hunter  to  the  head-quarters 
at  two.  Dinner  at  Arnsweldt.  Marriage  of  his  son. 
Write  to  Duke  of  Brunswick  by  Count  Montjoye.  Re- 
turn to  Arnsweldt's  assembly. 


Saturday,  Jan.  31. — Write  to  Prince  Salm,  Van  Goens, 
&c.  With  Princess  of  Wales  to  choose  presents  for  this 
Court — tedious  and  disagreeable  office.     No  event. 


206  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [1795. 

Sunday,  Feb.  1. — Estafette  from  Duke  of  Brunswick. 
Letter  from  Stampfort.  Kielmansegge  with  me  at  half 
past  11.  Settle  about  means  of  writing  to  England. 
Miinchausen.     Court  in  evening. 


MoxNDAY,  Feb.  2 — Lady *  presented  Bagwell  and 

Cailey,  Irish.  Timms  returns  from  Embden.  Rivers 
frozen — no  getting  awaj.  Letters  from  Paget  and  Cap- 
tain Popham.  Prince  Ernest  of  Strelitz  offers  to  go  to 
Berlin  to  speak  to  the  King  of  Prussia — eager  and  zealous. 
Letters  from  Leuthe  to  say  King  of  Prussia  is  determined 
to  defend  Westphalia.  Write  to  Duke  of  BrunsAvick,  He- 
reditary Princess,  and  Stampfort  by  Colonel  Pachardson. 
Tea  at  Madame  Busche's.     Visit  President  Walmoden. 


Tuesday,  Feb.  3. — Long  walk.  Austrian  couriers  in 
the  evening — write  by  them  to  England  through  Embden. 
Prince  Ernest  hesitates  about  going  in  consequence  of  my 
letters,  which  announce  the  Treaty  at  Basle  f  at  an  end 
— Princess  too  childish,  and  over  merry  at  supper. 


Wednesday,  Feb.  4.— AVith  Miinchausen  to  various 
jewellers.  No  event.  Prince  Ernest  goes  to  Brunswick 
and  Berlin.     Count  d'Alberg  presented. 


Feb.  5,  6,  7,  8. — No  event — usual  life.     Several  letters 
from  Duke  of  Brunswick. 


Monday,  Feb.  9. — Dinner  at  Court.  Kiclmanseirjie  and 
Steinberg  with  me  in  the  afternoon — explain  to  tliem 
my  fears  as  to  sincerity  of  Prussia.  Write  to  General 
Ilarcourt — entreat  liim  not  to  suifer  the  Austrians  to 
move  from  his  left,  under  the  reliance  that  the  Prussians 
would  supply  their  place.  Steinberg  writes  the  same  to 
General  Walmoden. 

*  Name  illegible  in  MS.         t  Then  going  on  with  the  French  Convention. 


1795.]  BRUNSWICK.  207 

Wednesday,  Feb.  1 1 . — Dinner  at  Marshal  Reden's.    At 
11,  Court  and  drawing-room. 


Thursday,  Feb.  12. — Despatch  Timms  to  Emhden. 
Servant  from  Lord  H.  Spencer.  Despatch  Vanscheick 
to  overtake  Timms.  Grand  Marshal  Waggenheim  drunk 
generally  after  dinner — his  manners  and  conversation 
odd.  

Saturday,  Feb.  1 4. — Hunter  returns  from  army.  Har- 
court  and  Walmoden  not  well  together. 


Sunday,  Feb.  15. — Regency  inform  me  of  their  inten- 
tion to  send  to  Basle.  Kalitcheff  arrives — his  account  of 
Holland. 

Monday,  Feb.  16. — My  letter  of  the  16th  to  the  Here- 
ditary Princess  of  Brunswick.  Prince  Ernest  of  Strelitz 
returns  from  Berlin  ;  he  saw  the  King  once  alone.  His 
Prussian  Majesty  as  usual  speeds  fairly — pro7mses  well — 
talks  tua7\  Prince  Henry,  whom  he  saw  afterwards, 
talks  peace — says  that  the  whole  plan  is  his ;  that  it 
meets  with  rubs  and  difficulties,  but  that  it  will  answer. 
Prince  Ernest  praises  Prince  Royal.  On  the  whole  he 
appeared  to  have  done  well,  and  not  to  have  been  taken 
in  at  Berlin. 

Tuesday,  Feb  17. — Walk  with  KalitcheiF.  Re-despatch 
Lord  H.  Spencer's  servant.  Write  to  Brunswick.  Cas- 
sino  in  the  evening — dullish  and  ordinary. 


Wednesday,  Feb.  18. — Henuber  with  me.  News  of 
ships  from  England — Princess  and  Prince  of  Orange  got 
safe.  Send  Vanscheick  with  this  intelligence  to  Bruns- 
wick at  1 1  P.M.  Argument  with  the  Princess  about  her 
toilette.  She  piques  herself  on  dressing  quick  ;  I  disap- 
prove this.     She  maintains  her  point ;  I  however  desire 


208  DIARIES  AND    CORRESPONDENCE.  [l795. 

Madame  Busche  to  explain  to  her  that  the  Prince  is 
very  delicate,  and  that  he  expects  a  long  and  very  care- 
ful toilette  de  pr^oprete,  of  which  she  has  no  idea.  On 
the  contrary,  she  neglects  it  sadly,  and  is  offensive  from 
this  neglect.  IVIadame  Busche  executes  her  commission 
well,  and  the  Princess  comes  out  the  next  day  well  washed 
all  over. 

Thursday,  Feb.  19. — Dinner  at  Court.  Assembly  at 
Beulwitz's.  Supper  at  Madame  Walmoden's.  Letters 
from  England  l}y  Cuxhaven.  We  are  to  go  by  Stade. 
My  conduct  approved  at  home. 


Friday,  Feb.  20. — Despatch  Estafette  to  Hereditary 
Princess  of  Brunswick.  Dinner  and  concert  at  Court- 
Princess  out  of  humour.  Very  nonsensical  confidence 
about  Prince  of  Orange  —  cannot  be  committed  to  writing 
— -must  recollect  it,  as  well  as  my  answer  and  advice. 
Duchess  unwell — retires  before  supper. 


Monday,  Feb.  23. — Stampfort  from  Brunswick.  Prussia 
consents  to  peace  on  the  terms  proposed  by  France — infa- 
mous and  incredible — Prince  Henry's  doing.  Stampfort 
wants  to  go  to  England. 


Tuesday,  Feb.  24. — Long  conversation  with  Stampfort 
on  the  times.  He  very  riglit.  Rceden  wrong  and  a  Jaco- 
bin.    The  Croys  all  arrive — call  upon  them. 


Wednesday,  Feb.  25. — Bad  news  from  the  Ems  and 
head-fjuarters — enemy  advance.  Despatch  Hunter  to 
Osnabruck  at  7. 

Thursday,  Feb.  26. — Despatch  Sparrow  to  England  by 
Cuxhaven — let  Count  Martange's  son  go  with  him.  Ene- 
my attack  our  outposts  near  Bentheim.     General  Van- 


1795.]  BERLIN.  209 

dainme  to  attempt  to  land  with  6000  men  at  the  mouth 
of  the  Ems — alarm  and  uneasiness  here.  Assembly  at 
Madame  Arnswaldt's. 


Friday,  Feb.  27. — Count  Kessels  called  on  me.  Sat 
for  picture.  Visited  Mrs.  Parkhurst.  Dull  dinner  at 
Court.  Concert.  The  Crojs  all  there.  The  Princess 
pretty  and  jjleasant.     No  event.     Letter  from  Duke. 


Saturday,  Feb.  28. — Counts  Westphalia  and  Kissels 
with  me — the  first  full  of  questions — ignorant  of  what  is 
passing.  Comes  from  Hildesheim.  Bishop  wants  to  be 
included  in  the  peace.  Bishop  of  Wurtzburg  dead.  At 
Court  to  finish  my  picture.  After  dinner  long  and 
serious  conversation  with  the  Princess,  on  her  manner  of 
calling  women  by  their  plain  name — of  saying,  "ma  chere," 
"  mon  coeur,"  &c.,  and  of  tutoylng  when  talking  to  them  in 
German.  She  takes  it  right  —  prepare  her  for  a  still 
more  serious  conversation  on  the  sul^ject  of  Hereditary 
Prince  of  Orange.  Kalitcheff  comes  home  ,  with  me — he 
inquisitive,  and  as  close  as  usual.  Visit  the  Croys. 
Pleasant  supper  at  Court. 


Sunday,  March  1. — Duke  de  Croy  with  me  —  his  mis- 
fortunes— his  resources — his  v/islies — his  politics — his  de- 
sire to  have  Conde  restored,  &c. — a  very  good  man,  but 
helpless.  At  dinner  Count  Kielmansegge  communicates^ 
to  me  a  letter  he  received  in  the  night  from  Miincliau- 
sen,  Grand  IVIarshal  of  Brunswick,  luritten  by  the  Duke's 
order  by  him  in  the  capacity  of  Ministre  d'etat — in 
which  note  it  is  said  that  Pichegru  has  orders  from  the 
Convention  to  pass  the  Ems  and  AVeser,  and  take  posses- 
sion of  this  country.  It  goes  on  by  recommending  this 
Electorate  to  stipulate  for  a  "  neutrality,"  or  put  itself 
under  the  "protection"  of  the  King  of  Prussia,  the  only 
Power  that  can  protect  it — as  director  of  the  circle 
of  Westphalia,  and  a.s  having  weight  with  the  French. 

VOL.  III.  r 


210  DIARIES   AND    CORRESPONDENCE.  [l795. 

Kielmansegge  greatly  alarmed.     I  tell  him,  that  although 
I  admit  the  information  to  be  not  void  of  foundation, 
and  in   itself  very  important,  yet  the   immediate    ob- 
ject  of  the  note  is  a  trich  invented   by   Prussia,    and 
supported  by  the  Duke.     That   it   certainly  is  wise  for 
them  here  to  be  very  much  on  their  guard  against  the 
progress  of  the  enemy,  but  also  that  it  behoves  them  to 
be  almost  equally  so  against  His  Prussian  ilajesty,  and 
those  who  are  from  habit,  interest,  or  opinion,  influenced 
by  his  Cabinet.    That,  therefore,  before  they  take  any  de- 
cisive step,  I  beg  them  to  consider  it  well  over,  particu- 
larly as  they   act  without  any  ad\dce  from  the   King, 
which  is  not  without  its  risk.     From  this  day  to  that  of 
our  departure  from  Hanover,  nothing  passed  to  make  a 
diary  necessary.     Our  life  was  uniformly  the  same — the 
same  company,  same  manners,  same  conversation,    I  had 
frequent  opportunity  of  confirming  what  I  have  already 
said  of  the  Princess  Caroline.     K  she  can  get  the  better 
of  a  gossiping  habit,  of  a  desire  to  appear  tres  fine,  and 
of  knowing  what  passes  in  the  minds  of  those  around, 
and  of  overhearing  and  understanding  their  secrets,  and 
of  talking  about  them,  she  will  do  very  well ;  but  this  is 
very  difficult,      I  make  it  the  daily  object  of  my  conver- 
sation to  urge  upon  her  never  to  stoop  io  private  con- 
cerns, de  vivre  et  laisser  viire,  to  avoid  remarks,  and 
not  to  care  what  passes  in  society  and  in  her  neighbour's 
house — "  Uno  tonto  sabe  mas  en  su  casa,  que  uno  sabio 
en  la  de  ageno" — a  very  excellent  Spanish  proverb. — I 
also  took  frequent  opportunities  of  speaking  very  seriously 
to  the  Princess  Caroline,  on  her  not  showing  due  respect 
to  the  Duchess  her  mother,  of  her  sneering  and  slighting 
her;  and  on  this  point  I  went  perhaps  beyond  the  bounds 
of  decorum,  as  it  appeared  to  me  of  the  last  consequence 
to  make  her  feel,  in  the  most  strong  manner,  the  necessity 
of  her  attending  to  these  sort  of  duties.    She  at  first  took 
it  amiss,  but  verv  soon  after  admitted  the  truth  of  what  I 
said  and  observed. 

On  politics  I  had  frequent  conferences  with  the  Re- 
gency, and  two  with  Marshal  Freyberg.  They  are  with- 
out news  or  orders  from  England — are  under  the  ?,lter- 


1795.]  BRUNSWICK.  211 

native  of  being  overrun  hj  France,  or  protected  bv 
Prussia.  The  Duke  of  Brunsmck  also  writes  to  me  daily 
almost  on  the  times.  He  urges  me  in  the  strongest  way 
possible  to  go  to  Berlin — spares  no  flattery  or  pains  to 
make  me  feel  the  impossibility  of  anything  being  clone 
"without  Prussia.  He,  perhaps,  may  be  right,  but  /  can- 
not consent  to  be  engaged  afresh  in  such  a  negotiation. 
The  Duke  sends  me  an  account  of  what  Hardenberg 
savs,  and  I  also  receive  nearlv  a  similar  one  from  Craw- 
ford  at  Frankfort.  Hardenbersr  undertakes  to  lemrthen 
out  the  neirotiation  at  Basle  till  he  hears  from  me, 
and  eagerly  recommends  England  to  offer  a  subsidy  to 
Prussia.  I  reply  that  I  believe  Mm  sincere,  but  not  his 
Court. 

^Iarch  6. — I  receive  letters  from  home,  to  say  that  the 
fleet  to  escort  us  is  to  go  to  Stade,  and  on  the  9th  it 
arrives.  Mrs.  Harcourt  to  attend  the  Princess — the 
former  comes  to  Hanover  from  Osnabruck  on  the  16th. 
Sillily  attended  by  two  light-horsemen.  She  puts  herself 
professed!};,  and  I  believe  really  sincerehi,  under  my  pro- 
tection, and  promises  to  follow  my  advice.  I  immediately 
see  the  Princess  does  not  like  her.  Mrs.  Harcourt  gossips 
too  much  with  the  Duchess,  who  is  with  her  all  the  morn- 
ing.— Latter  days  at  Hanover  fair,  with  the  Princess — 
see  the  gardens  belondng  to  General  Walmoden.  and  to 
j\Ir.  Hanuber  at  ]\IarienAverder. 

I  had  two  conversations  with  the  Princess  Caroline. 
One  on  the  toilette,  on  cleanliness,  and  on  delicacy  of 
speaking.  On  these  points  I  endeavoured,  as  far  as  was 
possible  for  a  man,  to  inculcate  the  necessity  of  great  and 
nice  attention  to  every  part  of  dress,  as  well  as  to  what 
was  hid,  as  to  what  was  seen.  (I  knew  she  wore 
coarse  petticoats,  coarse  shifts,  and  thread  stockings, 
and  these  never  well  washed,  or  changed  often  enough.) 
I  observed  that  a  long  toilette  was  necessarv,  and  srave 
her  no  credit  for  boasting  that  hers  was  a  "'short"  one. 
What  I  could  not  say  myself  on  this  point.  I  got  said 
through  women  ;  through  Madame  Busche.  and  after- 
wards  through    Mrs.  Harcourt,     It    is   remarkable    how 


p  -J. 


212  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [l795. 

amazingly  on  this  point  her  education  lias  been  neglected, 
and  how  much  her  mother,  jilihough  an  Englishwoman, 
was  inattentive  to  it.  My  other  conversation  was  on 
the  Princess's  speaking  slightingly  of  the  Duchess,  being 
peevish  towards  her,  and  often  laughing  at  her,  or 
about  her.  On  this  point  I  talked  vei-ij  seriously  in- 
deed— said  that  nothing  was  so  extremely  improper, 
so  radically  wrong ;  that  it  was  impossible,  if  she  re- 
flected a  moment,  that  she  should  not  be  sorry  for  every 
thing  of  the  kind  which  escaped,  and  I  assured  her  it 
was  the  more  improper  from  the  tender  affection  the 
Duchess  had  for  her.  The  Princess  felt  all  this,  and 
it  made  a  temporary  impression  ;  but  in  this  as  on 
all  other  subjects,  I  have  had  but  too  many  opportu- 
nities to  observe  that  her  heart  is  very,  very  light,  un- 
susceptible of  strong  or  lasting  feelings.  In  some  re- 
spects this  may  make  her  happier,  but  certainly  not 
better.  I  however  must  say,  that,  on  the  idea  being 
suggested  to  her  by  her  father  that  I  should  remain 
on  business  in  Germany,  and  not  be  allowed  to  attend 
her  to  England,  she  was  most  extremely  afflicted 
even  to  tears,  and  spoke  to  me  with  a  kindness  and 
feeling  I  was  highly  gratified  to  find  in  her.  Both 
she  and  the  Duchess  made  very  handsome  presents  on 
leaving  Hanover.  I  supplied  the  Princess  with  800 
frederics  d'or  for  this  purpose,  and  took  her  receipt 
for  them. 

March  24. — We  leave  Hanover — Duchess  very  much 
a^icted  —  Princess  keeps  up  her  spirits,  takes  leave 
of  the  ladies  with  grace  and  propriety.  Pass  through 
MollendorlT  to  Walsrode — eight  hours  on  the  road — first 
part  bad — last  better.  Duke  of  Brunswick  meets  us 
there — two  long  political  conferences  with  him  ;  he  com- 
municates to  me  a  letter  of  the  20tli  from  Bishopswerder 
— civil,  but  mysterious.  Another  from  the  King  of 
Prussia  to  him  of  the  same  date — very  civil,  and  thank- 
ing him  for  his  letters  and  memorials,  and  engaging 
him  to  continue  giving  his  advice  and  opinion  on  public 
affairs.     "  Car  quoique  j'aie  encore  I'espoir  (says  the  King) 


1795.]  BRUNSWICK.  213 

de  donner  la  paix  a  mes  sujets,  il  ne  faiit  pas  moins  agir 
avec  prudence  et  vigueur."     Bisliopswerder  says  in  his 
letter,  "  II  est  juste  qu'on  saclie  les  sentiments  de  I'An- 
gleterre,  et  j'en  ferai  mention  au  Roi."     From  all  this, 
and  from  other  information  the   Duke  has  received,  he 
infers  that,  if  England  pleases,  the  negotiations  at  Basle 
may  be  broken  off,  and   the    Court  of  Berlin   be  had. 
The  Duke   strongly  urges  the  wisdom  of  this  measure, 
and  its  necessity,  if  we  mean  to  have    any  success   in 
carrying   on  the  war.'""     He  does  not  take  up  the    de- 
fence of  Prussia, — on  the  contrary,  he  condemns  and  re- 
probates its  conduct  ;  but  he  observes,  and  very  truly, 
that  it  is  a  power  which  has  200,000  men,  and  worth 
managing.     I  admit  the  truth   of  this,  but  allege   the 
little  dependance  which  can  Idc  placed  on  the   King  of 
Prussia  after  what  has  passed.     The  difference  between 
what  he  tells  me,  and  what  is  said  to  Lord  H.  Spencer, 
and  particularly  in  a  ministerial  ]!^ote  drawn  up  in  the 
most   hostile   manner   and    imperious    tone  ;    the    very 
harsh  and  overbearing  conduct  of  the  Prussian  army  in 
Westphalia  towards  ours,  and  the  extreme  insolence  and 
misrepresentations  of  the  civil  officers  in  East  Friesland, 
&c.,  as  to  our  behaviour, — all  this  seems  to  me  to  denote 
such  a  strong  and  systematic   intention   to   close    with 
France,  and  break  with  England,  that  even,  although  I 
was  ready  to  admit  the  King,  and  perhaps  a  few  think- 
ing and  uncorrupted  individuals,  were  inclined  to  renew 
with  us,  yet  their  weight  would  be  insufficient  to  resist 
the  general  opinion.     The  Duke  replied,  that  if  any  able 
and  experienced  English  Minister  was  at  Berlin,  he  would 
certainly  succeed.     Money,  he  said,  must  be  employed, 
because  he  knew  money  would  be  taken.     That  in  re- 
gard to  the  harsh  tone  in  which  the  note  I  alluded  to 
was  drawn  up,  he  would  mention  it  to  Bishopswerder, 
and  he  again  pressed    me  on  my  return  to  state  what 
he  said,   at   least   that   England   might   not   decide    on 
false  principles. 

I   asked  him  what  lie  himself  would   do,    and  whe- 

*  A  report  of  tliis  conversation  Lord  Malmcsbury  sent  to  Lord  Grenvillc 
in  a  despatch. 


214  DIARIES   AND    CORRESPONDENCE.  [l795. 

ther  he  would  take  the  command.  "Not  if  the  King 
goes,  c'est  impossible  que  je  m'expose  de  nouveau  a 
toutes  les  avanies  que  j'ai  cues  sur  le  Rhin;  ne  Roi 
perd  la  moiti6  de  la  journ^e  a  la  parole,  et  a  ses 
repas ;  il  ne  salt  pas  qu'cl  la  guerre,  il  ne  faut  donner 
qu'un  moment  a  chaque  chose."  I  never  saw  the  Duke 
so  open,  so  decidedly  eager,  or  so  ready  to  give  a  clear 
and  distinct  opinion.  He  said  he  was  ready  to  do 
anything,  and  authorised  me  to  say  so.  He  added,  he 
wished  I  would  return  to  Berlin,  or  come  with  him  if 
he  was  employed ;  and  he  said  every  possible  flattering 
thing  to  me  he  could.  On  talking  about  his  daughter, 
he  said,  "  All  his  domestic  happiness  depended  on  her 
doing  well ;  that  he  was  infinitely  obliged  to  me  for 
what  I  had  done,  and  entreated  me  not  to  forsake  her 
when  in  England."  The  Duke  then  thanked  me  for 
having  promised  to  print  in  England  an  account  General 
Stampfort  had  drawn  up  under  Ms  eye,  and  with  lus 
approbation,  of  his  campaigns  in  Champagne.  It  was  a 
kind  of  answer  to  Dumouriez.  He  said  much  more 
could  have  been  added,  but  he  only  wished  to  defend 
himself,  not  to  criminate  others, — and  by  others  he  meant 
the  King  of  Prussia.  I  received  this  work  from  General 
Stampfort  on  the  21st  of  March,  with  directions  how  it 
should  be  printed. 

Wednesday,  March  25. — At  half-past  eight,  got 
through  llottenberg  to  Closterseven  at  seven — slept  at 
the  curate's. 

Thursday,  March  26. — Left  Closterseven  at  nine. 
Timms  arrived  from  the  army.  Got  to  Stade  at  four. 
Burghers  under  arms.  Magistrates  at  the  gates.  Mr. 
Ende  the  Minister  at  the  door  of  his  house.  Many  pre- 
sentations— Commodore  Payne,  Captains  Lechmere,  Stop- 
ford,  and  Leggc.  I  lodged  at  First  Counsellor's — good,  but 
dampish  house.  Conversation  with  Payne.'"'  Pixed  our 
departure  for  the  28  th 

*  Commonly  called  Jack  I'uyiie,  and  a  fu\  uuiiiu  compaiiiuu  of  the  Pniiee 
of  Wales. 


1795.]  BRUNSWICK.  215 

Friday,  March  27. — Walked  round  the  ramparts — very 
pleasant.  Stade  like  a  Dutch  town — large.  Calonne""  — 
great  dinner  and  supper. 


Saturday,  March  28. — Leave  Stade  at  seven.  Streets 
lined  by  the  burghers  under  arms.  Embark  on  the 
Schwinde  in  Hanoverian  boats — by  nine  reach  the  Fly 
cutter — sail  towards  the  mouth  of  the  river  till  half-past 
twelve — beyond  Gluckstadt  (Danish  town)  on  the  right — 
wind  slackens — obliged  to  get  into  the  boat — row  for  three 
hours — cutter  overtakes  us — get  on  board  again — about 
two  miles  from  the  squadron  get  into  man-of-war's  barge. 
Royal  salute  at  a  distance — yards  manned — royal  standard 
hoisted  on  the  barge.  At  seven  got  on  board  the  Jupiter, 
fifty-gun  ship — royal  salute  from  the  Jupiter  returned  by 
the  fleet.  Very  fine  evening,  and  fine  sight.  Dinner. 
Officers  presented.  (Madame  Waggenheim,  Grand  Mar- 
shal, and  Miinchhausen,  attend  the  Princess  to  Cux- 
haven — they  leave  us  at  eight.)  Petition  from  Lady 
Gilford — Stopford  good  enough  to  take  her : — from  Colonel 
Richardson  and  various  French — refuse  Duchess  of  Fitz- 
james,  also  Mrs.  Parkhurst.  Kinckel  on  board  the  Jupiter 
— Mrs.  Fitzgerald,  Sir  B.  Boothby,  and  Hislop,  on  board 
other  different  ships  in  the  fleet.  Lnpossible  to  be  more 
cheerful,  more  accommodante,  more  everything  that  is 
pleasant,  than  the  Princess — no  difficulty,  no  childish 
fears — all  good  humour. 


Sunday,  March  29. — Despatch  Hunter  and  Scott,  (mes- 
sengers) to  England.  Got  under  weigh  at  nine  witli  a  S.E. 
wind — sea  smooth — got  clear  of  the  Elbe  by  three — at 
seven  off"  Heligoland,  the  only  land  to  mark  the  mouths 
of  the  Elbe  and  Weser.  Weather  charming.  Princess 
delighted  with  the  ships,  and  the  officers  greatly  pleased 
with  her  manners  and  good  humour. 

*  The  Ex-Bourbon  Minister,  then  in  exile. 


216  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [l795. 

Monday,  March  30. — Wind  still  fair — sea  smooth.  No- 
body sick.     Off  the  Texel  by  four. 


Tuesday,  March  31. — From  the  noon  of  the  preceding 
day  to  noon  to-day,  we  ran  122  miles  west,  and  66  south, 
without  any  motion,  and  living  precisely  as  in  a  good 
house.  Two  or  three  Frencli  privateers  were  discovered 
this  morning  and  chased — it  became  foggy. 


Wednesday,  April  1. — Still  foggy.  Cast  anchor  in  the 
night  at  about  eight  leagues  from  Orfordness,  between 
that  and  Yarmouth,  Wind  fair,  l)ut  the  mist  so  thick  as 
to  make  it  impossible  to  proceed,  for  fear  of  the  flats. 
Long  and  frequent  conversations  with  Jack  Paine  about 
the  Prince  and  Lady .  He  against  her — and  her  be- 
haviour, by  his  account,  very  far  from  proper — his  account 
of  her  tricks  to  get  aboard  the  yachts — her  behaviour  at 
Rochester — Prince's  weakness. — Talk  to  Princess  about 
delicacy  in  her  language.  English  more  nice  than  foreign- 
ers. Never  to  talk  of  being  sick,  &c.  With  Airs.  Har- 
court  on  various  subjects — she  good  and  very  right,  but  a 
very  mean  courtier,  to  a  fulsome  degree. 


Thursday,  April  2.  —  Fog  still — no  moving.  The 
Amphion  passes  by  with  the  convoy  from  Embden  with 
the  sick — she  salutes.  Payne  and  I  go  on  board  the 
Phaeton,  Captain  Stopford,  Lady  Gilford  very  sick  — 
her  clothes  left  behind.  Princess  and  Mrs.  Ilarcourt  send 
her  linen,  &c.  Phaeton  about  300  yards  from  the  Jupiter. 
Sea  smooth.  Stopford  returns  our  visit  in  the  evening. 
Lieutenant '"  on  board  the  Jupiter — has  been  seven- 
teen years  lieutenant !  Fog  continues.  Princess  unwell. 
Malaise.  Conversation  with  Mrs.  Ilarcourt  after  supper 
about  the  Regency — she  exalt ee—SQwile  courtier,  &c. 

*  Namp  ill('yil)le  in  MS.  It  is  to  lie  Iiojicd  tlmt  if  .1  loiis'  and  /lot  war 
could  not  oiitain  promotion  for  this  gentlcniun  his  iii)proxiiiiation  to  Rvj^aUj/ 
now  procured  it  for  him. 


1705.]  BRUNSWICK.  217 

April  3. — Good  Friday. — Weather  clears  at  four  in  the 
morning — get  under  weigh — fine  wind  E.S.E.  —  land  at 
five  leagues  distant— sail  at  nine  knots  an  hour — pass 
Harwich  at  eleven.  Send  Timms  in  a  cutter  to  announce 
our  arrival.  All  the  ships  up — charming  sight.  Anchored, 
and  passed  the  night  at  the  K^ore. 


SxiTURDAY,  April  4. — Sail  early — enter  the  Thames — 
anchor  off  Gravesend  at  two  p.m. —  each  shore  of  the 
Thames  lined  with  spectators.  The  day  fine,  and  the 
whole  prospect  most  beautiful. 


Sunday,  April  5. — At  eight  the  Princess  got  into  the 
royal  yacht  (Augusta) — pleasant  and  prosperous  sail  to 
Greenwich,  where  we  arrive  at  twelve  o'clock.  The  King's 
coaches  not  yet  arrived,  owing,  as  I  have  since  heard,  to 

Lady not  being  readj^ ;  she,  Mrs.  Aston,  and  Lord 

Claremont,  came  to  meet  tlie  Princess.  We  waited  at 
least  an  hour  for  the  carriages,  and  were  very  atten- 
tively but  awkwardly  received  by  Sir  AY.  Pattison,  Go- 
vernor of  the  Hospital,  and  his  two  sisters.      Lady 

very  much  dissatisfied  with  the  Princess's  mode  of  dress, 
though  Mrs.  Harcourt  had  taken  great  pains  about  it, 
and  expressed  herself  in  a  way  which  induced  me  to  speak 
rather  sharply  to  her.  She  also  said  she  could  not  sit 
backwards  in  a  coach,  and  hoped  she  might  be  allowed  to 
sit  forward:  this  (though  Mrs.  Harcourt  was  servile 
enough  to  admit  as  a  reason),  as  it  was  strictly  forljidden 
by  the  King,  I  most  decidedly  opposed,  and  told  Lady 

that,  as  she  must  have  known  that  riding  backward 

in  a  coach  disagreed  with  her,  she  ought  never  to  have 
accepted  the  situation  of  a  Lady  of  the  Bedchamber,  who 
never  ought  to  sit  forward;  and  that  if  she  really  was 
likely  to  be  sick,  I  would  put  ]\Irs.  Aston  into  the  coach 
witli  the  Princess,  and  have,  by  that  means,  the  pleasure 

of  Lady 's  company  in  the  carriage  allotted  to  me 

and  Lord  Claremont.  This  of  course  settled  the  business  ; 
she  and  Mrs.  Harcourt,  according  to  the  King's  direction. 


218  PIARIFS    AND  CORRESrONDKNCE.  [l795. 

Silt  btiokw^ard,  and  the  Priiu\>ss  siit  bv  horsolf  forwani. 
Tliore  was  vorv  little  crowd,  and  still  less  applause  on  the 
iwad  to  London,  where  we  arrived  and  were  set  down  at 
St.  James's  (the  Duke  of  CumlxTland  s  ajxirtnients.  Cleve- 
land Row)  alxnit  half-piist  two. 

I  inmietliatelv  notifieii  the  arrival  to  the  Kinji  and 
Prince  of  Wales  ;  the  last  aime  imnKxliately.  I,  aa\>rLling 
to  the  established  etic^uotte,  intriHlucwl  (no  one  else  being 
in  the  room)  the  IVincess  Ciiroline  to  him.  !She  very 
pro^KTly,  in  consequence  of  my  siiying  to  her  it  was  the 
riglit  mode  of  pnxxHxling,  attemptal  to  kneel  to  him. 
lie  niiseil  her  (gracefully  enough),  and  embniaxl  her, 
said  biirely  one  woni,  tumotl  round,  retired  to  a  distant 
[virt  of  the  a|>iirtment,  and  calling  me  to  him,  said, 
"  Harris,  T  am  not  well :  pray  get  me  a  glass  of  brandy." 
1  said,  "  Sir,  had  vou  not  better  have  a  srhiss  of  water! " 
— ujxMi  which  he,  much  out  of  humour,  said,  with  an 
c>ath,  "  No ;  I  will  go  directly  to  the  Queen,''  and  aAmy 
he  went.  The  Princess,  left  during  this  short  moment 
alone,  was  in  a  state  of  astonishment  ;  and,  on  my 
joining  her,  said,  "  Mon  Dieu !  est  ce  que  le  IVince  est 
toujours  comme  cela?  Je  le  trouve  tr^s  gros,  et  niiUe- 
ment  aussi  beau  que  son  jx^rtrait."  I  said  His  Roval 
Hisihness  was  naturallv  a  srcxxl  deal  afFecte^l  and  flurried 
at  this  first  interview,  but  she  certainly  would  find  him 
different  at  dinner.  She  was  disjx^sed  to  farther  cri- 
ticisms on  this  occasion,  which  would  have  emlvir- 
rassetl  me  very  much  to  answer,  if  luckilv  the  Kim? 
had  not  ordenxl  me  to  attend  him. 

The  drawing-room  was  just  over.  His  Majesty's  ccm- 
versation  turned  wholly  on  IVussian  and  French  jx>litics, 
and  the  only  question  about  the  IVincess  was,  "  Is  she 
goixl -humoured  V  I  said,  and  very  tmly,  that  in  very 
trvint:  moments,  I  had  never  seen  her  otherwise.  The 
King  Siiid,  "I  am  glad  of  it;"  and  it  w:is  manifest.  fn>m 
his  silence,  he  had  seen  the  Queen  sha'  she  had  seen  the 
Prince^  and  that  the  Prinw  had  made  a  very  untaviuir- 
able  rc|x^rt  of  the  Printvss  to  her.  At  dinner,  at  wliioli 
all  those  who  attended  the  IVincess  from  Grixmwich 
assisted,  and  the  honours  of  which  were  done  bv  Loni 


1795.]  BRUNSWICK.  219 

Stopford  as  Vice-Claamberlaiii,  I  was  far  from  satisfied 
with,  the  Princesss  behaviour ;  it  was  flippant,  rattling, 
affecting  raillerv  and  wit,  and  throwing:  out  coarse  "v-olsrar 

hints  about  Lady  ,  who  was  present,  and  though 

mute,  k  diable  nen  perdaif  rien.  The  Prince  was  evi- 
dentlj  disgusted,  and  this  unfortunate  dinner  fixed  his 
dislike,  which,  when  left  to  herself,  the  Princess  had  not 
the  talent  to  remove  ;  but,  by  still  observing  the  same 
giddy  manners  and  attempts  at  cleverness  and  coarse 
sarcasm,  increased  it  tiU  it  became  positive  hatred. 

From  this  time,  though  I  dined  frequently  during  the 
first  three  weeks  after  the  marriage  at  Carlton  House,  no- 
thing material  occurred,  but  the  sum  of  what  I  saw  there 
led  me  to  draw  the  inferences  I  have  just  expressed. 
After  one  of  these  dinners,  where  the  Prince  of  Oranire 
was  present,  and  at  which  the  Princess  had  behaved 
very  lightly,  and  even  improperiy,  the  Prince  took  me 
into  his  closet,  and  asked  me  how  I  liked  this  sort  of 
manners :  I  could  not  conceal  my  disapprobation  of 
them,  and  took  this  opportunity  of  repeating  to  him 
the  substance  of  what  the  Duke  of  Brunswick  had  so 
often  said  to  me,  that  it  was  expedient  de  la  tenir  ser- 
ree ;  that  she  had  been  brought  up  very  strictly,  and 
if  she  was  not  strictly  kept,  would,  fi'om  high  spirits 
and  little  thought,  certainly  emancipate  too  much.  To 
this  the  Prince  said,  "  I  see  it  but  too  plainly  :  but  why, 
Harris,  did  not  you  tell  me  so  before,  or  Avrite  it  to  me 
from  Brunswick  V'  I  replied  that  I  did  not  consider 
what  the  Duke  (a  severe  father  himself  towards  his  chil- 
dren) said  of  sufficient  consequence,  that  it  affected 
neither  the  Princess's  moral  character  nor  conduct,  and 
was  intended  solely  as  an  intimation  which  I  conceived 
it  only  proper  to  notice  to  His  Royal  Highness  at  a 
proper  occasion,  at  such  a  one  as  now  had  oflered.  and 
that  I  humbly  hoped  His  Koyal  Highness  would  not  con- 
sider it  as  casting  any  real  slur  or  aspersion  on  the 
Princess  :  that  as  to  not  writinaj  to  His  Koval  Hicrhness 
from  Brunswick,  I  begged  him  to  recollect  I  was  not  sent 
on  a  discrefionanf  commission,  but  with  the  most  positive 
conimands  to  ask  Priiwess  Caroline  in  marriaqe,  and  no- 


220  DIARIES    AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [l795. 

tiling  more  ;  tliat  to  this  sole  point,  respecting  the  mar- 
riage, and  no  other,  those  commands  went ;  any  reflec- 
tion or  remarks  that  I  had  presumed  to  make  would 
(whether  in  praise  of,  or  injurious  to  Her  Royal  High- 
ness,) have  been  a  direct  and  positive  deviation  from 
those  His  Majesty's  commands.  They  were  as  limited 
as  they  were  imperative.  That  still,  had  I  discovered 
notorious  or  glaring  defects,  or  such  as  were  of  a  nature 
to  render  the  union  unseemly,  I  should  have  felt  it  as  a 
bounden  duty  to  have  stated  them,  but  it  must  have  been 
directly  to  the  King,  and  to  no  one  else.  To  this  the 
Prince  appeared  to  acquiesce  ;  but  I  saw  it  did  not  please, 
and  left  a  rankle  in  his  mind. 

I  should  have  said,  that  the  marriage  ceremony  took 
place  late  on  the  evening  of  Wednesday,  the  8th  April, 
at  St.  James's  Chapel  Royal.  The  ceremony  was  per- 
formed by  the  Archbishop  of  Canterbury  (Moore).  The 
usual  etiquette  observed  —  we  had  assembled  in  the 
Queen's  apartment ;  from  thence  to  the  usual  drawing- 
rooms  (very  dark).  The  procession,  preceded  by  the 
heralds  and  great  officers  of  the  Court,  (amongst  which 
I  was  ordered  to  attend) — walked  to  the  chapel — very 
crowded —Prince  of  Wales  gave  his  hat,  with  a  rich 
diamond  button  and  loop,  to  Lord  Harcourt  to  hold, 
and  made  him  a  present  of  it.  After  the  marriage  we 
returned  to  the  Queen's  apartment.  The  King  told 
me  to  wear  the  Windsor  uniform,  and  have  the  entries. 
The  Prince  very  civil  and  gracious,  but  I  thought  I 
could  perceive  he  was  not  quite  sincere,  and  certainly 
unhappy;  and,  as  a  proof  of  it,  he  had  manifestly  had 
recourse  to  wine  or  spirits. 

It  is  impossible  to  conceive  or  foresee  any  comfort 
from  this  connection,  in  Avhich  I  lament  very  much  hav- 
ing taken  any  share,  purely  passive  as  it  was, 

[The  following  letters  are  extracted  from  Lord  Alalmes- 
bury's  correspondence  at  Brunswick.  I  have  preferred 
subjoining  them  to  interrupting  the  foregoing  narrative 
by  inserting  them  according  to  their  date.] 


1795.]  BRUNSWICK.  221 

LETTER    FROM    HIS    ROYAL    HIGHNESS    THE    rRINCE    OF    WALES 

TO    LORD    MALMESBURY. 

My  DEAR  Lord, — I  have  sent  Major  Hislop  back  again 
to  Brunswick,  wliicli  I  judged  to  be  an  advisable  measure 
on  many  accounts,  as  more  particularly,  I  think,  he  may 
prove,  from  his  knowledge  of  the  country,  a  very  useful 
avant  courie?'  to  you  and  your  fair  charge  in  your  journey 
to  the  water's  side.     I  have  charged  him  with  letters  for 
the  Duke,  Duchess,  and  Princess,  which  I  will  beg  of  you 
to   present  to   their   different    destinations,   with   every 
proper  expression  on  my  part,  and  to  which  no  one  can 
give  so  agreeable  a  tournure  as  yourself.     I  have  likewise 
desired  Major  Hislop  to  give  you  an  ample  and  thorough 
account  of  the  steps  I  have  taken  towards  the  expediting 
everything  on  this  side  of  the  Avater,  as  well  as  with  my 
brother  the  Duke  of  York,  to  whom  I  have  written  also  by 
Hislop  ;   and  as  to  what  is  now  necessary  to  forward  the 
completing  everything  at  Brunswick,  I  must  leave  that  to 
you,   hoping  that  you  will  make  every  exertion  possible 
to  put  the  Princess  in  possession  of  her  own  home  as 
near  the   20th   of  the  ensuing  month  as  possible,    for 
everything  that  can  create  delay  at  the  present  moment 
is  bad  on  every  account,  but  particularly  so  to  the  public, 
whose  expectations  have  now  been  raised  for  some  months, 
and  would  be  quite  outrageous,  were  it  possible  for  them 
to  perceive  any  impediment  arising  to  what  they  have  had 
their  attention  drawn  to  for  so  long  a  time,  besides  the 
suspense,  and  the  naturally  unpleasant  feelings  attendant 
upon  suspense,  which  I  myself  must  be  subject  to,  and 
the  very  honourable,  fair,  and  handsome  manner  in  which 
the  Duke  and   Duchess  have  both  conducted  themselves 
to  me  in  this  transaction  ;  their  having  also  in  their  last 
letters,  both  to  the  King  and  me,  said  that  the  Princess 
was  ready  to  set  off  instantly  ;  in  short,  all  these  reasons 
make  it  necessary  for  me,  my  dear  Lord,  to  desire  you  to 
press  your  departure  from  Brunswick  at  as  short  a  date 
as  possible  from  the  receipt  of  this  letter.    I  have  written 
fully  to  the  Duchess  upon  the  subject,  and  I  doubt  not 


222  DIARIES   AND  CORRESPONDENCE.  [l795. 

but  she  will  acquaint  you  with  the  contents  of  her  letters, 
as  I  desire  that  jou  will  have  the  goodness  to  do  so  by 
her,  by  shewing  her,  or  acquainting  her  nearly  of  the 
purport  of  this  letter. 

I  should  think  the  travelling  through  Holland  still 
practicable  and  safe,  and  if  so,  certainly  preferable  on 
every  account ;  but,  if  not,  we  then  must  have  recourse 
to  the  Elbe,  which  is  certainly  a  very  disagreeable  alter- 
native ;  however,  whichever  way  the  Princess  is  to 
come,  I  am  clear  it  should  be  determined  upon  in- 
stantly by  you.  I  wish  most  certainly,  if  possible,  that 
she  should  pass  through  Holland,  if  it  is  still  upon  the 
cards,  therefore  desire  you  to  determine  if  you  can  upon 
that,  AYe  cannot  tell  on  this  side  the  water  as  well 
as  you  can,  or  rather  as  Hislop  can,  after  his  communica- 
tion with  the  Duke  of  York ;  and  you  will  then  be  able, 
when  you  have  seen  the  ]\Iajor,  and  know  what  has 
passed  between  him  and  the  Duke,  to  fix  your  plan 
immediately,  and  so  immediatelii  put  it  into  execution. 
According  to  our  calculation,  Hislop  ought  to  be  at 
BrunsAvick  the  8th  ;  I  therefore  tiiist  that  by  the  16th 
I  shall  from  you,  my  dear  Lord,  receive  an  account  of 
your  having  fixed  the  day  of  your  departure,  and  not 
only  of  the  probability,  but  indeed  of  the  certainty  of 
your  being  many  miles  on  your  journey.  There  are 
some  other  particular  circumstances  which  might  not  be 
so  proper  or  so  safe  to  commit  to  paper,  Avhich  I  have 
entrusted  Major  Hislop  with,  and  which  he  will  communi- 
cate by  word  of  mouth  to  you.  I  will  not  detain  you, 
my  dear  Lord,  any  longer,  except  to  assure  you  how 
happy  I  was  in  having  this  opportunity  of  testifying  the 
very  sincere  regard  I  entertain  for  you,  as  well  as  those 
sentiments  with  which  I  remain,  &c. 

George  P. 

Carlton  House,  23rd  Nov.,  1794. 


1795.]  BRUNSWICK.  223 

LETTER   FROM    LORD    MALMESBURY    TO    LORD    ST.    HELENS. 

Brunswick,  25th  Nov.,  1794. 

I  agree  most  entirely  with  you,  my  dear  Lord,  that  the 
instructions  brought  me  by  Fabiaui*  were  nearly  unex- 
ecutaljle,  and  the  result  of  my  attempt  to  carry  tliem  into 
effect  justifies  very  fully  our  apprehensions.  I  found  the 
business  prepared,  and  indeed  almost  done,  by  Elliot  and 
Stampford,  and  the  Duke  has  from  the  Ijeginning  inva- 
riably rested  his  consent  on  the  certainty  of  being  at 
the  head  of  a  large  body  of  Prussians.  This  cannot  be 
obtained  or  asked  ;  neither  was  such  a  measure  prac- 
ticable, should  I  advise  the  trying  it,  as  it  would  put 
the  whole  direction  into  the  hands  of  the  Court  of  Berlin, 
and  place  us  in  a  situation  of  still  stricter  dependance 
on  it  than  we  have  been  this  year;  but  I  will  not 
repeat  what  I  have  written  in  my  official  letters,  the 
substance  of  which  I  beg  you  to  communicate  to  the 
Prince  and  Princess,  and  Pensionary.  I  am  now  in 
favour  of  Reede's  plan ;  it  is  like  all  those  of  his  inven- 
tion, made  in  the  closet,  without  any  knowledge  of  what 
is  passing  beyond  and  out  of  it,  and  without  any  re- 
ference to  it ;  he  collects  his  military  notions  through 
his  brother-in-law  Kreusemark,  who  is  with  Mollendorff, 
and  his  political  ones  from  his  secretary  Bordeaux,  who 
is  much  better  qualified  from  his  principles  to  be  Se- 
cretary to  the  Convention,  than  to  a  ]\linister  from  their 
High  Mightinesses.  If,  however,  he  could  induce  Hol- 
land to  subsidize  singly  30,000  Prussians,  I  should  be 
well  content,  as  it  will  leave  us  at  liberty  to  dabble 
with  Austria. 

I  fear  before  we  can  do  anything,  or  take  any  pro- 
visional step  for  the  present  security  of  your  Republic, 
that  the  pusillanimity  of  our  friends,  and  the  activity 
of  our  adversaries  within  it,  joined  to  the  dissensions 
and  discouragement  which  prevail  in  our  aimy,  will 
produce  the  catastrophe,  and  that  the  scene  will  close 

*  Lord  Malmesbury  was  instructed  to   use  every  means  to  induce   tlie 
Duke  of  Brunswick  to  accept  the  command  of  tlie  allied  armies. 


224  DIARIES  AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [l7J)5. 

by  a  shameful  accommodation,  a  conquest,  or  what  is 
precisely  the  same,  a  forced  surrender.  The  Duke  in- 
sists that  with  common  prudence,  and  with  the  smallest 
military  knowledge,  it  is  impossible  for  the  enemy  to 
penetrate  any  farther,  but  whether  it  be  his  real  opi- 
nion, or  only  given  in  order  to  make  it  appear  that 
his  refusal  to  go  to  Holland  is  not  so  important  from 
his  presence  not  being  so  necessary,  I  cannot  pretend 
to  say.  Nor,  indeed,  do  I  ever  hioiu  luhetJier  he  is 
sincere  or  not.  I  am  only  sure  that  his  passion  is  to 
be  at  the  head  of  an  army,  and  that  the  declining  it 
in  the  way  he  does,  must  be  produced  by  some  more 
powerful  reason  (at  least  to  his  mind)  than  what  he 
thinks  proper  to  allege.  We  hear  the  Silesian  divi- 
sion, which  were  under  march  from  the  Rhine  towards 
Gotha,  are  ordered  to  return.  This  gives  pleasure  here, 
but  I  conceive  (if  it  means  anything)  it  is  only  to 
have  the  more  powerful  means  at  hand  to  force  the 
Austrians  to  make  peace,  and  that  we  shall  see  Prussia 
appear  as  an  armed  ]\lediator,  and  tny  utmost  wish  is 
to  see  all  the  Prussians  back  and  quiet  in  their  own 
territories, 

I  feel  for  your  situation  in  Holland ;  I  know  how  help- 
less and  cold  our  friends  are  in  times  of  danger  and  dif- 
ficulty. Try  to  make  them  brush  through  the  winter,  and 
to  give  us  the  chance  of  what  may  happen  in  France, 
where  there  are  an  hundred  indications  of  the  disgust 
of  the  war,  of  the  Government  becoming  feeble,  and 
of  internal  divisions.  I  am  in  daily  expectation  of 
my  credentials  and  full  powers  from  England  ;  in  the 
meanwhile  I  have  all  the  lionours  of  my  Mission,  and 
am  lodged  at  Court,  and  with  Court  attendants.  I  think 
our  future  Princess  will  do  vastly  well.  I  am  uncertain 
the  route  we  are  to  take.  Is  it  safe  to  bring  her  through 
Holland  ?  pray  write  to  me  on  this  point,  on  which  you 
probably  will  also  be  consulted  from  home.  May  I 
trouble  you  to  tell  Bentinck,  that  tlic  100  bottles  of 
old  hock  I  })urcliased  from  him,  should  be  sent  to  Mr. 
Crawford,  who  will  take  charge  of  them  for  me,  and 
send  them  on  to  England. 


1794.  J  BRUNSWICK.  225 

Adieu,  my  dear  Lord.  I  hope  Ministers  have  now  given 
the  last  commission  they  mean  to  charge  me  with,  and 
that  I  may  be  allowed  to  return  to  the  only  quiet  spot  in 
Europe,  though  at  tltis  moment,  that  is  not  very  quiet. 

I  am,  &c.  Malmesbury. 


LETTER    FROM    LORD    MALMESBURY   TO    THE    DUKE   OF    YORK. 

Brunswick,  Friday,  Dec.  5,  1794. 

Sir, — I  beg  leave  to  thank  your  Royal  Highness  most 
respectfully  for  your  letters  of  the  28th  by  Major  Hislop. 
Your  sentiments  and  expressions  relative  to  the  Duke  of 
Brunswick's  taking  the  command,  are  such  as  I  have  ever 
been  accustomed  to  find  in  your  Royal  Highness's  character. 
There  is  no  chance,  I  believe,  of  moving  the  Duke  from 
hence.  He  does  not  think  differently  about  Prussia  from 
your  Royal  Highness  and  myself,  but  he  is  under  an 
habitual  fear  of  the  Court  of  Berlin,  and  will  not  take 
any  step  not  promoted  as  well  as  authorized  by  it. 

If  I  receive  any  positive  and  certain  information  that 
the  ships  destined  to  escort  the  Princess  of  Brunswick  to 
England  are  ordered  to  Helvoet  before  the  11th  of  this 
month,  we  shall  set  out  on  that  day  from  hence;  but 
of  this  I  will  give  your  Royal  Highness  timely  information 
by  a  messenger.  It  is  impossible  for  me  to  take  my  de- 
parture before  I  receive  this  information,  as  I  am  tied 
down  by  the  most  precise  instructions,  and  as  from  a 
letter  from  Mr.  Burgess,  there  seems  an  appearance  that 
Stade  will  be  the  port  fixed  on  by  the  King. 

I  am,  &c.  Malmesbury. 


LETTER  FROM   LORD   MALMESBURY  TO  THE   DUKE   OF  PORTLAND. 

Brunswick,  5th  Dec,  1794. 

My  Dear  Lord. — Allow  me  to  write  to  you  in  the 
double  capacity  of  a  Cabinet  Minister  and  confidential 
friend.  I  cannot  better  explain  to  you  the  motive  for 
my  applying  to  you  under  these  titles,  than  by  enclosing 

VOL.  III.  Q 


226  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [l794. 

you  a  letter  I  received  from  the  Prince,  and  my  answer. 
This  letter  was  brought  by  a  Major  Hislop,  (with  whom 
I  am  unacquainted,)  and  this  officer,  in  addition  to 
what  the  Prince  writes,  strongly  urged  in  his  name  my 
immediate  departure  from  hence  with  the  Princess,  and 
that  I  should  proceed  with  her  without  loss  of  time 
through  Holland,  I  have  resisted  this  proposition  from 
the  reasons  I  have  assigned.  I  am  here  under  the  King's 
immediate  command,  and  cannot  act  but  by  his  special 
order.  Everybody  will,  I  am  confident,  feel  this  but  the 
Prince  ;  and  nobody,  I  believe,  but  the  Prince  would 
have  placed  me  in  the  predicament  in  which  I  now 
stand,  by  conveying  to  me  his  wishes,  or  rather  his  or- 
ders, without  having  previously  communicated  with  His 
Majesty's  Ministers,  and  having  it  in  his  power  to  say  to 
me  he  wrote  under  their  sanction.  If  he  should  be  dis- 
pleased with  me  for  a  non-compliance  with  these  wishes, 
I  only  have  to  entreat  your  Grace  to  justify  me,  when  any 
justification  may  be  necessary.  I  have  in  my  official 
letters  mentioned  the  substance,  or  rather  outlines,  of  this 
business,  but  I  did  not  think  them  a  proper  mode  for  en- 
tering fully  into  it.  I  most  heartily  join  with  the  Prince 
in  his  earnest  desire  to  see  the  Princess  at  Carlton  House, 
but  sincere  and  strong  as  this  desire  is  on  my  part,  I  can- 
not stir  from  hence  but  by  the  King's  order. 

I  am  sure  you  will  enter  into  my  feelings  on  this  occa- 
sion, which  puts  me  in  mind  of  several  other  situations  in 
which  I  have  been  placed  of  a  similar  nature  from  the 
same  quarter,  and  that  you  will  excuse  my  communicat- 
ing them  to  you.  I  trust  by  Christmas  to  pay  my 
respects  to  you  at  Burlington  House. 

I  am,  &c.         Malmesbury. 


LETTER    FROM    LORD    JIALMESBURV    TO    LORD   GRENVILLE, 

Brunswick,  23rd  Dec,  1794. 

My  Dear  Lord, — I  can  venture  to  say  that  you  may 
de})end  on  the  authenticity  of  tlie  infonnation  I  have  en- 


1794.]  BRUNSWICK.  227 

closed  in  my  official  letter."'  It  proves  at  once  as  many 
bad  political  qualities  in  Prussia  as  can  possibly  exist  at 
the  same  time  in  the  same  Power, — weakness,  perfidy,  in- 
solence, avarice,  and  folly,  and  all  of  these  come  forward 
in  their  turn  and  appear  in  Haugwiz's  conversations  with 
Paget.  I  cannot  resist  the  desire  of  writing  him  one 
more  strong  letter  before  I  leave  the  Continent.  I  ex- 
pect no  good  whatever  from  it,  but  it  is  some  sort  of 
satisfaction  in  return  for  their  conduct,  that  its  duplicity 
and  folly  should  stand  upon  record  in  a  manner  not  to  be 
contested. 

I  need  only  say  how  impatient  we  all  are  here  to  get 
away,  nor  how  many  puzzling  and  distressing  questions  I 
am  asked  on  this  side  of  the  water,  and  how  many  press- 
ing instances  I  receive  from  the  other.f  It  ought  to  be 
felt  that  I  cannot  stir  without  His  Majesty's  commands, 
and  that  the  negotiation  with  which  I  am  now  charged  is 
as  much  a  State  affair  as  any  Treaty  whatever.  I  fear, 
however,  this  is  not  the  case,  and  that  on  my  return  I 
shall  be  exposed  to  a  little  ill-humour  for  not  having 
obeyed  a  summons  it  was  against  my  duty  to  listen  to. 

I  am,  &c.  Malmesbury. 


LETTER    FROM    LORD   MALMESBURY   TO   THE    PRINCE    OF    WALES. 

Brunswick,  Tuesday,  23rd  Dec,  1794. 

Sir,— I  was  in  great  hopes  that  my  letter  of  the  17th 
would  have  been  the  last  I  should  have  had  the  honour 
of  writing  to  your  Royal  Highness  from  hence,  but  al- 
though I  am  in  daily  expectation  of  orders,  none  are  yet 
arrived,  and  the  sharp  frost  and  easterly  wind  now  set  in 
may  prevent  my  receiving  them  for  some  time.  I  can  only 
repeat,  Sir,  that  on  this  side  of  the  water  no  delay  has 
arisen  or  will  arise,  and  that  not  an  hour  shall  be  lost, 
whenever  it  shall  please  His  Majesty's  Ministers  to  inform 

*  The  substance  of  this  despatch  may  be  gathered  from  the  foregoing 
Diary. 

t  The  Prince  of  Wales  continued  to  press  Lord  Malmesbury  to  bring  over 
the  Princess,  but  as  he  had  the  King's  command  not  to  move  until  he  re- 
ceived positive  instructions  to  that  effect,  he  refused  to  do  so. 


228  DIARIES   AND    CORRESPONDENCE.  [l794. 

me  to  what  place  I  am  to  conduct  the  Princess,  a  point 
which  was  certainly  not  determined  on  the  9th  instant, 
the  date  of  my  last  letters  from  England. 

The  impatience  of  the  Princess  to  get  away  is  evidently 
her  governing  feeling ;  but  it  is  tempered  with  so  much 
good-humour  and  cheerfulness,  that  it  is  impossible  not 
to  consider  her  behaviour  on  this  occasion  as  the  most 
amiable  possible. 

I  am  myself  so  very  anxious  that  your  Royal  Highness 
should  find  every  princi23le  of  happiness,  that  my  judg- 
ment may  be  a  little  warped  by  my  wishes  ;  but  I  am 
sure  I  must  have  lost  every  power  of  discernment,  if  there 
does  not  exist  in  the  mind  of  the  Princess  the  most  fixed 
intention  to  make  your  happiness  the  study  of  her  life, 
and  in  her  heart,  every  affection  to  promote  it. 

I  am,  &c.  Malmesbury. 


EXTRACTS  OF  A  LETTER  FROM  LORD  MALMESBURY  TO  THE 

HON.  A.  PAGET. 

Brunswick,  25th  Dec,  1794. 

A  Dutch  messenger  charged  with  letters  from  the 
Prince  of  Orange  to  Baron  Reede,  gives  me  an  early  oppor- 
tunity of  thanking  you  for  your  letter  by  Dressins,  who 
passed  through  here  on  Tuesday.  I  detained  him  only  a 
few  hours.  Your  despatch  to  Lord  Grenville  cannot  fail 
of  doing  you  credit ;  you  have  done  everything  that  pru- 
dence and  ability  could  devise,  and  you  have  stated  it  in 
the  clearest  and  fairest  manner  possible.  The  Court  of 
Berlin  is  working  its  own  destruction,  and  all  we  have  to 
do,  is  to  avoid  being  buried  under  its  ruins.  The  en- 
closed paper "'  (on  the  veracity  of  which  you  may  rely)  will 
perhaps  give  you  more  accurate  information  on  the  state 

*  Containing  an  account  of  the  secret  negotiation  opened  hy  Prussia  with 
the  Freiicii  Convention.  Lord  Malnieshury  never  h)st  an  o})})ortunitv  ol'send- 
ing  to  ollicial  persons  any  information  whicli  could  possibly  be  useful  to  them, 
either  in  their  military  or  civil  capacity.  1  have  no  room  to  print  these 
letters,  which,  perhaps,  shew  as  much  activity  and  patriotism  as  any  of  his 
more  public  services  ;  they  doubtless  tende<l  much  to  obtain  the  reputation 
he  enjoyed  among  his  eontempuraiies. 


1794.]  BRUNSWICK.  229 

of  tlie  negotiation,  and  the  manner  in  which  it  is  con- 
ducted, than  you  will  have  it  in  your  power  to  collect  at 
Berlin.  The  Dutch,  who  are  panic-struck,  have  on  their 
side  been  also  weak  enough  to  enter  into  pour-parlers 
with  the  French,  and  two  persons  of  the  name  of  Branken 
(formerly  Ambassador  at  Paris)  and  Rypelaer,  are  going 
to  Bois-le-Duc  to  have  a  conference  with  La  Combe  for  a 
separate  peace.  There  is  little  doubt  that  both  these 
disgraceful  overtures  will  end  in  nothing,  but  to  expose 
the  iniquity  and  folly  of  those  who  have  made  them,  and 
that  the  only  reason  for  their  being  listened  to  on  the 
part  of  the  French,  is  in  order  to  gain  time  for  their  own 
hostile  preparations,  and  to  prevent  those  of  the  Combined 
Powers,  by  amusing  them  with  the  prospect  of  pacifica- 
tion they  neither  can,  nor  mean  to  give  them.  The 
Stadtholder  and  Princess  of  Orange  see  all  this  with  ex- 
treme repugnance ;  but  I  fancy  that  Reede  (who  is 
generally  actuated  by  confined  and  selfish  motives)  has 
gone  very  warmly  into  the  idea ;  and,  from  what  I  learn, 
the  principal  reason  for  sending  him  this  messenger,  is  to 
repress  his  ardour  on  this  occasion,  and  to  entreat  him 
not  to  move  faster  in  a  matter  of  such  magnitude  than 
his  instructions  authorise  him  to  do. 

I  am  myself  so  convinced  that  peace  is,  first  of  all,  im- 
possible ;  and,  secondly,  (that  if  it  were  possible)  that  it 
would  be  the  most  fatal  and  ruinous  measure  which  could 
be  adopted  ;  that  although  I  am  fully  persuaded,  that 
nothing  which  can  be  said  or  done  by  me,  is  at  all 
likely  to  produce  the  smallest  efiect  at  Berlin ;  yet,  in 
order  to  liberate  my  own  conscience,  and  to  acquit 
myself  of  my  last  political  duty  before  I  return  to  Eng- 
land, I  have  written  the  enclosed  letter"'  and  reflections  to 
Haugwiz.  You  will  be  good  enough  to  fasten  the  seal, 
and  either  send  or  give  them  to  him.  It  is  my  wish 
they  should  get  to  the  King,  as  I  cannot  but  believe 
many  ofiicial  papers  I  gave  in  at  Frankfort  have  been 
suppressed,  and  that  His  Majesty  is  not  fairly  and  fully 
kept  informed  of  what  has  passed,  and  is  passing.  I  say 
I  cannot  but  believe  this,  because  his  present  conduct  is 

*  A  copy  of  this  letter  is  not  extant. 


230  DIARIES   AND    CORRESPONDENCE.  [l795. 

in  direct  contradiction  to  what  not  ten  months  ago  he 
assured  me  ten  times  a  day,  to  be  his  invariable  princi- 
ples, founded  on  what  he  considered  the  welfare,  dignity, 
and  safety  of  his  Monarchy  to  rest.  If;  therefore,  you 
can,  by  any  indirect  channel,  convey  to  the  King  that 
such  a  letter  is  in  Haugwiz's  possession,  it  will  prol^ably 
move  in  him  a  curiosity  to  see  it  ;  and,  indeed,  unless 
Haugwiz  is  as  much  altered  in  his  opinions  as  I  suspect 
he  is,  he  would  be  the  first  to  shew  it  to  him. 

In  regard  to  the  Duke  of  Brunswick,  it  certainly  is  not 
likely  that  he  will  be  prevailed  on  to  take  the  command, 
without  being  sure  that  such  a  measure  would  not  ex- 
pose him  to  the  anger  and  resentment  of  Prussia ;  this, 
which  is  but  a  poor  excuse  for  a  great  man,  is,  I  am  satis- 
fied, his  only  motive  ;  for  he  sees  the  conduct  of  that 
Court  in  the  same  light  we  do,  and  rails  at  it  still  more. 

If  you  have  a  safe  opportunity,  pray  write  to  me  ; 
these  easterly  winds  may  detain  us  here  many  days 
longer.  You  must  not  think,  my  dear  Paget,  of  quitting 
the  line.  I  am  sure  Lord  Grenville  will  not  allow  you, 
as,  without  a  compliment,  I  believe  your  despatches  to  be 
much  the  best  he  receives  from  the  Continent. 

Is  Nassau  gone  ?  Why  and  where  1  Two  lines  in 
juice'^  to  acknowledge  this  will  greatly  oblige  me. 


LETTER  FROM  LORD  MALMESBURY  TO  LORD  GRENVILLE. 

Osnabnick,  4th  Jan.,  1795. 

My  dear  Lord, — I  have  acted  on  the  present  very 
anxious  and  distressing  occasion,  to  the  best  of  my  judg- 
ment ;  were  I  travelling  with  my  wife  and  children,  I 
should  have  acted  as  I  have  now  done.  The  frost  is  so 
intense,  and  wears  every  appearance  of  being  so  perma- 
nent, that  I  cannot  but  consider  Holland  as  in  the  most 
innninent  danger.f  It  would  be  blameable  in  the  extreme 
were  I  to  conduct  the  Princess  into  that  country  at  such 

*  Invisible  until  held  before  a  fire. 

t^It  needs  scarcely  be  mentioned  that  the  inundations,  ^v]lic]|  are  Hol- 
land's safeguard  against  an  enemy  in  open  weather,  become  bridges  to  cany 
them  over  daring  a  frost. 


1795.]  BRUNSWICK.  231 

a  moment,  and  without  the  certainty  of  having  a  fleet  to 
convey  her  out  of  it.  I  hope  all  the  circumstances  will 
be  taken  into  consideration,  and  not  the  single  one  of 
the  road  being  safe  as  far  as  Utrecht.  I  have  no  doubt 
about  this,  but  my  doubts  are  on  the  risks  and  uneasiness 
to  which  the  Princess  will  be  exposed  when  she  is  there, 
and  during  the  remainder  of  her  stay  and  journey  in  that 
country.  If  we  have  a  thaw,  or  if  I  was  sure  Commodore 
Payne  was  at  the  Texel,  I  should  not  demur ;  but  neither 
is  likely,  and  I  cannot  but  fear  that  it  will  be  found  that 
the  only  safe  and  secure  mode  of  conveying  the  Princess 
to  England  is  by  Stade,  and  that  to  do  this,  we  must  wait 
till  the  mouth  of  the  Elbe  is  free  from  ice. 

On  any  other  occasion  I  should  certainly  not  make  ex- 
treme prudence  and  precaution  the  governing  principle  of 
my  conduct ;  but  on  this,  I  ought  not  to  have  any  other. 
My  duty  is  to  arrive  safe,  and  not  to  sacrifice  tliis  cir- 
cumstance to  the  wish  of  arriving  soon.  I  hope  this  will 
be  admitted  and  understood  as  the  only  rule  by  which  I 
ought  to  act.  I  am,  &c.         Malmesbury. 


LETTER    FROM    LORD    MALMESBURY    TO    THE    PRI>'CE    OF  WALES. 

Osnabruck,  4tli  Jan.,  1795. 

Sir, — In  order  to  lose  no  time  in  despatching  the  mes- 
senger who  is  charged  with  this  letter  for  your  Royal 
Highness,  I  take  the  liberty  of  enclosing  a  copy  of  the 
despatch  I  have  written  by  him  this  day  to  Lord  Gren- 
ville,  in  which  I  have  stated  fully  and  distinctly  the  dif- 
ferent motives  on  which  I  have  grounded  my  conduct.  I 
am  most  anxious  that  it  should  have  your  Pioyal  High- 
ness's  approbation  in  a  measure  where  the  trust  was  so 
very  important,  and  where  so  much  was  left  to  my  own 
judgment.  I  could  not  conceive  a  safer  rule  to  go  by, 
than  to  place  myself  in  a  similar  situation  to  that  in  which 
I  now  stand  with  my  children  and  family,  and  had  this 
been  the  case,  I  certainly  should  have  acted  as  I  now 
have  done.  My  apprehensions  for  Holland  are  very  great, 
and  the  same  easterly  wind  that  produces  the  frost  also 


232  DIARIES  AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [l795. 

keeps  the  fleet  from  arriving  at  the  Texel ;  and  were  I  to 
undertake  to  recommend  their  Royal  Highnesses  to  go  as 
far  as  Utrecht,  I  should  expose  them  to  all  the  uneasi- 
ness and  disquietude  attendant  on  an  invaded  country, 
probably  to  insult,  and  possibly  to  danger  in  the  extreme, 
since  it  would  almost  be  as  difficult  to  retrograde,  or  re- 
gain a  place  of  security  on  this  side,  as  to  attempt  to 
cross  the  sea. 

Till,  therefore,  I  can  be  satisfied  that  the  fleet  is  at  the 
Texel,  and  that  the  attempts  of  the  enemy  to  penetrate 
into  Holland  on  the  side  of  Goree  or  by  the  Moerdyk 
(should  it  be  frozen,  as  it  probably  is,)  have  failed,  I 
shall  not  feel  myself  justified  in  my  own  mind,  or  act- 
ing up  to  the  sense  of  the  very  high  duty  reposed  on 
me,  were  I  to  move  forward.  The  Princess  Caroline, 
and  the  Duchess  of  Brunswick,  whose  pleasure  and  com- 
mands I  have  taken  on  this  point,  agree  in  this  decision. 
The  first  is  too  anxious  to  get  safe  to  England,  and  ex- 
pects too  much  happiness  there  to  wish  to  leave  anything 
to  chance,  and  this  consideration  supersedes  her  extreme 
impatience  to  be  at  her  journey's  end. 

I  expect  to-morrow  or  next  day  to  receive  fresh 
intelligence  from  Lord  St.  Helens,  and  your  Royal  High- 
ness may  be  assured,  that  not  a  minute  shall  be  lost, 
and  nothing  of  any  kind  delay  our  journey,  but  the 
considerations  I  have  already  mentioned,  which  are  of  a 
nature  that  cannot  be  too  much  attended  to.  I  trust 
by  making  them  the  rule  of  my  conduct,  I  shall  have 
acted  in  conformity  to  your  Royal  Ilighness's  pleasure. 

I  have,  &c.  Mauiesbury. 


LETTER    FROM    LORD    MALMESBURY    TO    THE    RRINCE  OF   WALES. 

Dclden,  Friday,  Jan.  9tli,  1795. 

Sir,  —  Their  Royal  Highnesses  were  within  a  few 
leagues  of  Deventer,  when  I  was  met  by  one  of  the  mes- 
sengers I  had  sent  forward,  wlio  brought  me  a  letter  from 
Lord  St.  Helens  written  from  the  head-quarters  tliis 
morning,   saying  that  the  French  hud  again  crossed  the 


1795.]  BRUNSWICK.  233 

Waal  in  considerable  force  ;  that  there  had  been  an  affair 
yesterday  in  which  they  had  not  been  driven  back,  and 
that  it  was  expected  they  would  renew  the  attack  to-day 
with  increased  numbers.  He  gave  it  me  as  his  decided 
opinion,  and  as  one  in  which  General  Harcourt  concurs, 
that  I  must  on  710  account  come  into  Holland,  but  return 
immediately  with  the  Princess  to  Osnabruck.  This,  Sir, 
as  soon  as  I  could  read  the  letter,  I  directly  recommended 
to  them  to  do,  and  on  Sunday  we  shall  again  be  at  that 
town  where  I  have  written  to  Lord  Grenville  word  that  I 
shall  remain  till  I  know  His  Majesty's  pleasure.  I  hope 
your  Royal  Highness  will  not  disapprove  my  having 
come  to  this  resolution.  Nothing  short  of  a  miracle  can 
save  Holland  ;  it  will  either  be  conquered  or  capitulate, 
and  in  either  case,  it  would  be  impossible  to  think  of 
exposing  the  Princess  to  pass  through  it.  I  have  as  yet, 
too,  no  account  whatever  of  the  arrival  of  the  squadron  at 
Texel,  and  without  that  certainty,  nothing  could  justify 
my  attempting  to  continue  the  route  in  the  way  origi- 
nally proposed. 

Osnabruck  is  as  near  Stade  as  it  is  to  the  Texel,  and 
in  case  that  port  should  be  chosen,  which  I  much  fear 
must  be  the  case,  we  cannot  remain  at  a  better  or  more 
becoming  place. 

It  is  impossible  for  me  to  describe  to  your  Royal  High- 
ness how  much  I  am  hurt  and  vexed  at  these  very  un- 
pleasant delays  ;  \mi  it  is  a  great  alleviation  to  my  feelings 
to  observe  the  great  good-humour  with  which  the  Princess 
submits  to  them  ;  at  the  same  time  that  I  can  assure  you, 
Sir,  she  feels  them  as  strongly  as  if  she  had  already  the 
pleasure  of  knowing  your  Royal  Highness. 

I  shall  write  again  very  soon,  but  I  am  at  present  so 
hurried  to  get  away  my  messenger,  whilst  he  can  yet 
pass  with  impunity  through  Holland,  that  I  fear  what  I 
write  to-day  will  be  very  incorrect. 

I  am  most  anxious  to  know  that  your  Royal  Highness 
does  not  disapprove  my  conduct.  I  have  left  nothing 
untried  to  bring  the  Princess  both  soon  and  safe  to  Eng- 
land, but  when  one  of  the  two  is  to  be  given  up,  I  should  be 
very  unfit  for  the  high  trust  confided  in  me  if  I  hesitated. 


234  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [l795. 

Mr.  Elliot  is  so  good  as  to  promise  me  to  go  to  the 
Texel,  under  chance  of  finding  Commodore  Payne  arrived, 
and  to  explain  to  him  our  situation.  I  have  likewise  de- 
sired him  to  send  on  My.  Anthony  St.  Leger"''  to  me 
through  Holland,  which,  for  a  single  man,  is  a  practicable 
road,  as  I  shall  want  very  much  his  aid  and  assistance. 
I  hope  this  will  not  be  blamed  by  your  Royal  Highness. 

I  am,  &c.         Malmesbury. 


EXTRACTS    OF    A    LETTER    FROM    LORD    MALMESBURY    TO    THE 

DUKE    OF   PORTLAND. 

Hanover,  27th  Jan.,  1795. 

As  it  is  very  difficult  for  me  to  be  quite  explicit  in  an 
official  letter,  as  to  all  the  reasons  which  determined  me 
to  bring  the  Princess  Caroline  back  as  far  as  this  place, 
and  to  advise  Her  Royal  Highness  to  remain  at  it  till 
such  time  as  I  can  receive  His  j\lajesty's  further  orders, 
allow  me  to  mention  them  to  you  more  fully  in  a  private 
letter,  and  to  -entreat  your  Grace  to  make  such  use  of 
them  as  your  kindness  for  me  will,  I  am  sure,  prompt  you 
to  do,  in  case  my  conduct,  on  this  occasion,  may  seem 
reprehensible,  and  not  sufficiently  justified  by  what  I  have 
mentioned  in  my  despatch  of  to-day.  The  proximity  and 
character  of  the  enemy,  the  probaljility  of  their  coming 
on  towards  Westphalia,  the  establishment  of  the  hospital, 
and  the  certainty  that  our  army  would  soon  fall  back  Ije- 
hind  the  Ems,  would,  of  themselves,  I  trust,  be  considered 
sufficient  reasons  for  removing  the  Princess  from  Osna- 
bruck  ;  but,  in  addition  to  these,  the  arrival  of  Count 
D'Artois,  who,  when  we  left  it,  was  already  as  far  as  Ben- 
theim  on  the  road  with  his  suite,  operated  very  decidedly 
on  my  opinion  ;  for,  although  I  am  ver}^  far  from  attri- 
buting either  to  him,  or  those  who  attend  him,  all  those  vices 
and  dangerous  follies  which  it  was  said  belonged  to  them 
in  their  days  of  prosperity,  yet  I  felt  it  higlily  improper 

*  Brother  to  the  Prince's  companion,  Col.  St.  Lcgcr ;    he   was  a  great 
beau  of  his  time,  and  remarkable  as  a  good  dancer. 


1795.J  BRUNSWICK.  235 

that  the  Princess  of  Wales,  and  a  fugitive  French  Prince, 
should  remain  in  the  same  place  ;  and  I  am  sure  the 
inconveniences  which  would  have  resulted  from  it  cannot 
escape  your  observation. 

I  confess,  also,  I  had  a  repugnance  at  putting  His 
Royal  Highness  the  Duke  of  York  to  so  considerable 
an  expense  as  that  of  maintaining,  for  any  length  of 
time,  so  numerous  a  Court  as  we  formed  ;  for,  although 
nothing  could  be  more  attentive  than  the  conduct  of 
his  household  and  Ministers  there,  and  although  I  knoAv 
enough  of  the  Duke's  liberal  temper  of  mind  to  be  sure 
this  would  not  a  moment  weigh  with  him,  yet  it  did 
not  become  me  to  forget  it,  and  it  ought  to  and  did  in- 
fluence my  conduct.  These  reasons  for  leaving  Osna- 
bruck,  will,  I  hope,  be  considered  as  valid  ones.  Two 
places  only  remained  to  which  I  could  conduct  the  Prin- 
cess, either  Brunswick  or  this.  In  regard  to  the  first, 
I  have,  in  my  public  letter,  only  stated  that,  (considered 
as  a  measure,)  I  knew  it  would  be  unpleasant  to  the 
Duke ;  and  the  carrying  a  Princess,  circumstanced  as 
the  Princess  Caroline  is,  back  to  her  own  Court,  after 
the  ceremonies  which  had  passed,  and  she  had  formally 
taken  leave  of  it,  appeared  to  me  one  which  would  be 
liable  to  many  disagreeable  animadversions  and  remarks. 
Writing  to  your  Grace,  confidentially,  I  can  add  that 
many  other  very  powerful  objections  occurred  to  me 
against  placing  Her  Royal  Highness  again  in  the  situation 
in  which  she  stood  at  Brunswick.  It  was  one  perfectly 
dissimilar  to  that  she  is  about  to  fill ;  it  was  a  subor- 
dinate one,  and  of  great  restraint,  and  where  her  mind 
had  not  fair  play ;  where  it  never  could  act  for  itself, 
where  it  was  governed  severely,  not  guided  gently;  where 
she  had  formed  and  contracted  habits  and  manners,  and 
where  the  ladies,  who  never  expecting  to  see  the  Princess 
called  up  to  the  high  station  she  is  now  going  to  assume, 
had  allowed  themselves  towards  her  habits  of  familiarity 
and  easy  intimacy  always  pernicious  in  their  effects  from 
the  gossiping  to  which  they  lead,  and  very  different  from 
that  respectful  and  distant  attention  she  is  entitled  to, 
which  certain!}^  will  be  shewn  her  in  England,  and  to 


236  DIARIES  AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [l795. 

which  I  have  it  very  much  at  heart  she  should  get  ac- 
customed, and  feel  as  right  and  indispensable  before  she 
arrives  there. 

Everything  that  I  have  taken  the  liberty  to  say  has 
gone  to  this  point,  as  the  one  which  has  been  the  least 
attended  to  in  her  education  ;  for,  in  my  judgment,  the 
happiness  of  the  Prince,  as  well  as  her  own,  I  will 
even  add,  that  of  the  country,  rest  in  a  great  measure,  in 
times  like  these,  in  her  feeling  properly  the  dignity  of 
her  high  situation,  and  acting  up  to  it,  and  in  under- 
standing, that  if  this  is  painful  to  her,  it  is  the  price 
she  is  to  pay  for  its  pre-eminence.  Her  own  good  sense, 
of  which  she  really  and  truly  has  a  considerable  share, 
has  induced  her  to  listen  to  this  advice,  and  to  feel  its 
consequence ;  and  since  we  have  left  Brunswick,  the 
manner  in  which  she  has  conducted  herself  towards  those 
who  have  come  to  pay  their  court  to  her,  has  been  the 
most  becoming  possible.  To  carry  her  back  there,  would 
be  to  place  Her  Royal  Highness  in  a  position  where  she 
could  not  follow  it  up,  and  where  she  necessarily  must 
resume  her  former  customs  and  behaviour,  which,  although 
perfectly  unexceptionable  and  innocent,  are  by  no  means 
those  calculated  for  the  rank  of  a  Princess  of  Wales. 
Hanover  is  the  contrary  of  all  this.  The  manners  of  the 
Court  are  uncommonly  proper  and  decorous ;  those  who 
compose  it  are  of  a  most  respectable  character,  and  before 
I  brought  the  Princess  here,  I  was  certain  she  would  be 
received  in  a  way  she  never  yet  had  been  used  to,  and 
one  which  would  give  those  impressions  I  so  anxiously 
wish  her  to  receive.  My  expectations  have  been  fully 
justified.  The  Princess  Caroline  is  here  received  and 
treated  exactly  as  a  Princess  of  Wales  Elect  ought  to 
be  treated  ;  and  I  am  convinced,  that  all  things  con- 
sidered, the  delay  in  our  arrival  is  a  most  fortunate 
circumstance,  and  that  the  two  months  or  more  which 
will  elapse  from  the  time  of  our  leaving  Brunswick  till 
that  of  our  landing  in  England,  will  form  and  shape  tlie 
Prnicess's  mind  and  manners  to  her  situation,  and  give 
her  a  more  exact  sense  of  it,  than  if  the  journey  from  the 


1795.]  BRUNSWICK.  237 

Palace  at  Brunswick  to  Carlton  House  had  been  performed 
with  all  the  expedition  we  originally  wished  for. 

I  have  been  insensibly  led  to  say  more  on  the  subject 
than  was  my  intention  when  I  began  my  letter,  which  was 
simply  to  explain  the  motives  of  my  own  conduct. 


LETTER  FROM  LORD  MALMESBURY  TO  THE  COUNT  DE  WALMODEN. 

Hanovre,  ce  29  Janvier,  1795. 

MoNS.  Le  Comte, — J'ai  eu  I'honneur  de  recevoir  par  le 
courier  Hunter,  votre  lettre  en  date  le  24°  le  27",  a  sept 
heures  du  matin.  J'ai  exp^die  sur  I'heure  celle  que  vous 
avez  inseree  pour  le  Due  de  Bronswic  par  un  expres,  et  j'ai 
envoye  d'abord  les  autres  a  leur  adresse.  Je  pense  que 
Votre  Excellence  aura  deja.  re9U  la  reponse  du  Due  ;  il 
a  eu  la  bonte  de  me  la  communiquer.  Je  la  crois  parfaite 
quant  aux  arrangemens  militaires  qu'il  propose;  mais  le 
ton  deLoiu  Spirits  qui  'y  r^gne  me  peine  tres  sensiblement, 
et  son  idee  de  vouloir  se  transporter  avec  la  famille  au  dela 
de  I'Elbe  n'est  propre  qu'a  repandre  de  la  consternation 
en  cas  qu'elle  transpire,  et  d'aj outer  aux  embarras  du 
jour  deja  presqu'  insupportables.  Je  viens  de  lui  ecrire 
une  longue  lettre,  dans  laquelle  je  cherche  a  le  rassurer. 
Le  silence  du  cote  de  Berlin  devrait  le  facher  et  non  pas 
I'abattre ;  peut-etre  aussi  sera-t-il  rompu,  des  que  le  Roi  de 
Prusse  soit  informe  de  la  maniere  dont  la  Convention  a 
re^ue  ses  overtures  pour  une  pacification.  Le  Sieur  Bar- 
thelemi  a  fait  a  Bale  a  M.  Goltze  des  propositions  les 
plus  insolentes  et  moins  admissibles  ;  elles  sont  arrivees 
^  Francfort  par  un  chasseur  le  23°,  et  le  26°  a  Berlin. 
Je  vous  supplie,  Mons.  le  Comte,  de  vouloir  bien  dis- 
poser de  moi  dans  toutes  les  occasions  ou  je  puis  vous 
etre  utile,  et  surtout  quand  je  pourrai  vous  prouver  la 
haute  consideration  et  estime  avec  laquelle  j'ai  I'honneur, 
etc. 

Malmesbury. 


238  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [l795. 


LETTER  FROM  LORD  MALMESBURY  TO  THE  DUKE  OF  BRUNSWICK. 

Hauovre,  ce  29  Janvaer,  1795. 

MoNSEiGNEUR, —  Mons.  le  Comte  de  Montjoje  ajant 
remis  son  depart  jusqu'  apres  demain,  et  Mons.  Hanuljer, 
Ministre  de  I'Electeur  de  Hanovre  en  Hollande  venant 
d'arriver  de  la  Haye  avec  des  informations  qui  pourraient 
interresser  Votre  Altesse  Sereine,  et  surtoiit  Madame  La 
Princesse  H6'^ditaire,  j'ai  I'honneur  de  vous  faire  parvenu 
ces  lettres  par  estafette. 

Mons.  Hanuber  a  quittd  la  Haye  Dimanche  le  18° 
courant :  il  a  voyage  avec  Mons.  de  Keller  ;  ils  ont  allonges 
les  Dunes  jusqu'a  la  Hollande.  Hs  sent  restds  k  Enck- 
huysen  jusqu'au  22°.  et  alors  ont  passe  le  Zuyder  Zee  sur 
la  glace  jusqu'a  Steveren.  Les  deux  Princesses  d'Orange 
avec  le  Prince  enfant,  accompagne  de  M.  Larrey  fils  et 
(f\  ce  que  Mons.  Hanuber  croit)  I'Amiral  Kinsbergen, 
sont  embarques  a  huit  heures  le  matin  du  18°  a  Sche- 
veningue  sur  unpink  arrange  expres  pour  les  recevoir,  et 
avec  un  equipage  clioisi  parmi  les  matelots  de  I'amiraute 
d' Amsterdam.  Le  vent  ^tait  favorable  sans  etre  trop 
fort,  et  il-y-a  toute  raison  de  croire  que  Leurs  Altesses 
Royales  sont  arrivees  Lundi  de  bonne  heure  en  An- 
gleferre,  car  il  n'etait  pas  question  de  joindre  un  vaisseau 
de  guerre.  lis  etaient  tons  enfermes  par  les  glaces 
dans  le  Holder,  et  k  Vlessingue.  A  midi  du  meme  jour 
(le  18°)  le  Prince  Stadthouder  et  les  Princes  ses  fils  se 
sont  demis  de  tons  leurs  emplois,  et  a  trois  heures  Leurs 
Altesses  sont  egalement  partis  de  Scheveningue  dans  un 
pinh.  II  s'agissait  un  moment  de  gagner  la  Frise,  et  de 
faire  un  rassemblement  des  amis  du  parti  d'Orange  a 
Lewarden,  mais  a  mesure  que  les  Franc^ais  approchaient 
les  amis  diminuaient,  et  on  craignait  d'etre  livr6  au  lieu 
d'etre  soutenu  d'abord  aprcis  que  le  Stadhouder  a  donn6 
sa  dismission.  Les  Sieurs  Kalhoen  et  Bortzlaer  de  Kyefoet 
ont  ete  deputes  aux  Franc^^ais,  pour  dire  que  la  Ripub- 
lique  ne  leur  opposait  plus  de  resistance,  et  avec  ordre  a 
leurs  proprcs  troupes  de  ne  plus  en  faire. 
A  cinq  heures  le  18°,cinquante  houssards  Fran^ais,  ay  ant 


1795.]  BRUNSWICK.  239 

a  leur  t^te  les  nommes  Dandils  et  Kreinoff,  deux  celebres 
patriotes,  sont  entr^s  a  Amsterdam.  Liindi  de  grand 
matin  la  r^gence  de  la  ville  a  6t6  cliangee,  et  Fischer 
nomme  Grand  Ofic'ier. 

II  est  a  presumer  que  les  Fran{;'ais  furent  a  la  Haye  le 
19°.    Woerden  s'est  rendu  le  17°. 

Mons.  Rougers  s'est  offert  pour  accompagner  Leurs 
Altesses  Royales ;  mais  Mdlle.  la  Princesse  n'a  pas 
voulu  le  lui  permettre  vu  qu'il  avait  sa  femme  et  ses  en- 
fans  en  Hollande. 

Le  Grand  Pensionnaire  6tait  malade  a  la  mort,  accal)16 
egalement  d'infirmites  et  de  chagrin  ;  les  Ministres  de 
Russie  et  de  Portugal  n'ont  pas  pu  s'evader.  Le  Comte 
de  Welderen  est  tr^s  malade,  mais  la  Comtesse  se  soutient 
a  merveille.  Mons.  et  ]\Iadame  d'Aigloa  sont  a  la  Haye,  et  y 
restent  :  Mons.  de  Rhoon  est  alle  a  Amsterdam  pour  faire 
a  ce  qu'on  dit  ses  conditions  avec  les  Fran^ais.  Haerlem  a 
change  ses  magistrats  Dimanche  le  18°  le  soir,  et  toutes 
les  villes  en  Hollande  allaient  faire  la  meme  chose: 
il-n'y-avait  cependant  point  de  Fran^ais  dans  ces  para- 
ges le  22^  Voila  a  peu  pres  tout  ce  que  j'ai  pu  ap- 
prendre  de  M.  Hanuber.  Votre  Altesse  Sereine  aura  la 
bonte  de  le  communiquer  avec  le  management  qu'elle 
croit  convenable,  a  Mde.  la  Princesse  H^reditaire.  Je 
participe  trop  sensiblement  a  tons  ces  malheurs  pour  oser 
lui  ^crire  directement,  mais  je  connais  la  force  de  son 
caractere,  et  sa  soumission  aux  volont^s  de  la  Providence. 
J'esp^re  que  I'heure  de  la  vengeance  arrivera,  et  que  le 
r^gne  de  I'anarchie  aura  son  terme.  Vous  voudrez  bien 
pardonner,  Monseigneur,  le  peu  de  m^thode  avec  laquelle 
cette  lettre  est  ^crite,  mais  je  suis  vivement  emu  de  tons 
ces  details,  et  je  desire  qu'ils  vous  arrivent  sans  delai 
aucun. 

J'ai  I'honneur,  &c.         Malmesbury. 


240  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE,  [l795. 


EXTRACT    OF    A    LETTER    FROM    LORD    MALMESBURY   TO    LORD 

GRENVILLE. 

Hanover,  3rd  Feb.,  1795. 

Several  private  letters  I  have  received  from  Berlin 
mention  that  in  consequence  of  the  treatment  Le  Sieur 
Harnier  has  met  with  at  Paris,  and  of  the  strange  and 
inadmissible  conditions  proposed  bj  Barthelemi  to  Count 
Goltze,  at  Bale,  His  Prussian  Majesty  has  come  to  a  deter- 
mination to  pursue  the  war  with  vigour  and  in  earnest ; 
that  he  has  given  orders  to  Mollendorff  to  march  towards 
Westphalia  with  his  whole  army  ;  and  that  great  prepa- 
rations are  making  for  the  defence  of  that  country  and 
East  Friesland.  The  Regency  here  have  received  similar 
accounts  from  Baron  Linthe,  their  Minister  at  Berlin,  and 
the  Duke  of  Brunswick  hints  the  same  in  a  letter  I  had 
from  him  yesterday  ;  several  I  have  received  within  an 
hour  from  Frankfort  (dated  the  27th)  leave  no  doubt  as 
to  what  has  passed  at  Paris  and  Bale,  and  they  speak  of 
the  effect  it  has  had  on  the  Prussians  there  in  very  strong 
terms.  All  those  who  promoted  and  advised  this  measure 
are  dismayed ;  and  Marshal  Mollendorff  declared  to 
Baron  Ilardenberg,  "  that  he  had  been  egregiously  de- 
ceived ;  that  all  negotiations  with  the  French  should 
immediately  be  abandoned,  and  the  greatest  exertions 
made  for  opening  the  campaign."  An  officer  of  the 
name  of  Massenbach,  the  Prince  of  Hohenlohe's  prin- 
cipal Aide-de-Camp,  was  to  be  sent  on  the  28th  to 
Berlin  with  this  opinion  and  advice.  It  would  appear 
that  the  head-quarters  at  Hockheim  are  confounded  at 
the  magnitude  of  the  disasters  to  which  they  have  so 
greatly  contributed  ;  and  Lord  H.  Spencer  will  certainl}'- 
write  to  you  the  effect  this  produces.  I  trust  it  will 
be  a  good  one.  If  the  King  of  Prussia  does  nothing  on 
this  side,  the  dismay  is  so  great,  and  the  means  of  defence 
so  small,  that  everything  is  to  be  apprehended,  and  the 
enemy  may  make  themselves  masters  of  the  mouths  of 
the  Ems  and  Weser,  and  even  of  the  Elbe.  The  Regency, 
however,    is   taking   every    precaution    in    their   power. 


1795.]  BRUNSWICK.  241 

Prince  Ernest,  of  Mecklenburg  Strelitz,  is  to  command 
their  cordon,  and  he  has  just  informed  me,  in  great 
confidence,  that  he  is  going  to-morrow  to  Brunswick  to 
concert  with  the  Duke,  and  from  thence  to  Berlin — he 
intends  to  see  the  King,  and  if  he  says  to  him  what 
he  said  to  me,  I  think  he  may  do  good.  If  you  wish 
to  have  more  Brunswick  troops,  I  believe  2500  may  be 
had  on  the  same  terms  as  the  last. 

I  hope  we  shall  lose  no  time  in  taking  possession  of 
the  Cape  and  Trinidad,  and  of  all  the  principal  Dutch 
settlements  in  India.  It  is  an  act  of  political  duty  to 
keep  them,  as  a  deposit  until  the  Government  of  the 
United  States  of  Holland  is  restored. 

Mollendorff  went  so  far  as  to  say  that  he  disliked  the 
part  he  had  acted,  and  expressed  a  desire  to  resign  the 
command  to  the  Duke  of  Brunswick,  and  a  readiness  to 
act  under  him. 


EXTRACT  OF  A  LETTER  FROM  LORD  MALMESBURY  TO  GENERAL 

HARCOURT. 

Hanover,  8th  Feb.,  1795. 

In  a  short  and  hasty  letter  I  wrote  to  you  on  Thursday 

last  through ,  ^''  I  informed  you  of  what  it  is  said 

are  His  Prussian  Majesty's  intentions,  f  in  consequence  of 
the  manner  in  which  the  overtures  for  peace  have  been 
received  by  the  Convention.  These  intentions  have  been 
communicated  officially  both  to  the  Hanoverian  and  to 
the  English  JMinister  at  Berlin  ;  but  through  a  private 
channel,  and  one  on  which  I  can  rely :  I  am  very  much 
afraid  that  we  must  not  look  upon  them  as  sincere,  or 
in  their  event  as  likely  to  be  favourable  to  us.  I  am 
assured  that  those  who  direct  the  King  of  Prussia  (and 
he  is  always  directed)  are  bent  on  peace  on  any  terms, 
and  that  the  measures  now  taken,  in  appearance,  for  the 
defence  of  Westphalia,  and  which  look  so  like  real  anger, 
are  calculated  to  counteract  our  negotiations  with  Aus- 
tria, and  to  force  the  troops  under  Clairfayt  to  move  from 

*  Name  illegible  in  MS.  t  Described  in  the  preceding  letter. 

VOL.  III.  R 


242  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [l795. 

their  present  ground,  and  occupy  that  MoUendorlf  will 
leave  vacant  on  the  Upper  Rhine.  Mj  information  even 
goes  so  far  as  to  say  that  orders  are  eventually  given  to 
M.  MollendorfF  not  to  expose  his  army,  but  to  fall  back 
behind  the  Weser  in  case  the  enemy  should  come  forward 
in  force  ;  certain  it  is,  that  all  the  arrangements  proposed 
to  this  country  for  magazines,  &c.,  carry  this  appearance. 
They  are  also  calculated  to  lay  on  this  Electorate  the 
whole  charge  of  forming  and  furnishing  them;  and  it 
should  seem,  that  after  having  devoured,  like  a  swarm  of 
locusts,  the  inferior  members  of  the  Empire,  the  Prussians 
are  now  coming  to  feed  on  the  upper  ones.  In  the  mean 
ame  there  can  be  no  doubt  that  the  negotiation  for  peace 
between  them  and  the  Convention  is  not  broken  off.  The 
'  Duke  of  Brunswick  (I  must  entreat  you  not  to  mention 
this  circumstance)  has  been  called  upon  officially  by  the 
Prussian  Cabinet  to  give  in  a  ministerial  Note  that  his 
Dutchy  may  be  included  in  the  Treaty,  and  it  is  supposed 
that  this  Electorate,  and  the  possessions  of  the  Electors  of 
Cologne  and  Treves,  on  the  right  of  the  Rhine,  are  not  to 
be  inserted,  or,  at  least,  not  to  be  insisted  on  as  comprised 
in  the  pacification,  if  the  French  should  make  a  difficulty 
to  admit  them,  as  they  most  assuredly  will. 

I  may,  perhaps,  be  incorrect  as  to  the  smaller  points, 
but  in  general,  I  think  I  can  venture  to  take  upon  my- 
self to  say,  that  my  intelligence  is  sufficiently  true  as  to 
make  it  highly  essential  for  us  to  be  on  our  guard  not  to 
confide  in  Prussian  assistance,  or  rely  on  Prussian  faith, 
and,  above  all,  not  to  allow  ourselves  to  sufier  on  any 
account  Clairfayt's  army  to  stir  an  inch  to  the  left,  under 
the  assurance  that  the  Prussians  will  defend  Westphalia. 
In  the  plan  proposed  by  the  Cabinet  of  Berlin,  the  line  of 
defence  was  to  extend  from  Hanover  to  the  Dollard,  and 
in  the  disposition  of  the  troops  the  defence  of  East  Fries- 
land,  and  of  the  country  from  Osnabruck  to  Embden  was 
allotted  to  us. 

You  will  be  so  good  as  to  consider  what  I  write  as  con- 
fidential. I  believe  Baron  Steinberg  (one  of  the  principal 
members  of  this  Regency)  will,  in  consequence  of  what  I 
have  said  to  him,  write  nearly  to  the  same  efiect  to  C'ene- 


1795.]  BRUNSWICK.  243 

ral  Walmoden.  It  is  of  the  last  importance  that  persons 
in  your  very  important  and  difficult  situation  should  be 
regularly  and  accurately  informed  of  such  events  as  are 
so  nearly  connected  with  the  operations  of  the  troops 
under  your  command  ;  and  it  is  from  feeling  this  convic- 
tion very  strongly  impressed  on  my  mind,  that  I  have 
troubled  you  with  so  long  a  letter. 


EXTRACT    OF    A    LETTER    FROM    LORD    MALMESBURY    TO    LORD 

H.  SPENCER. 

Hanover,  IGtli  Feb.,  1795. 

The  correspondence  between  the  Duke  of  Brunswick 
and  myself  is  too  long  to  have  copied,  and  indeed  it  is 
not  worth  your  reading  ;  it  is  more  curious  than  import- 
ant, as  it  goes  to  show  that,  with  all  his  personal  courage, 
his  mind  is  timid  and  wavering,  and  that  his  nerves  are 
very  ill  braced.  I  found  this  to  be  the  case  when  we 
acted  together  in  Holland,  but  it  has  grown  strangely  on 
him  since. 

After  what  I  have  experienced  you  wall  not  be  sur- 
prised that  I  should  be  cautious  myself  and  recommend 
caution  to  others  before  they  trust  to  the  performance  of 
promises  or  execution  of  plans  proposed  by  Prussia.  I 
certainly  am  well  pleased  to  see  MoUendorff's  army  move 
towards  Westphalia ;  but  I  cannot  look  upon  it  as  a 
measure  on  which  we  can  venture  to  build,  much  less  to 
act,  as  long  as  the  pour-parlers  at  Bale  are  open,  and 
when  a  stroke  of  the  pen  may  at  once  destroy  its  whole 
effect.  I  am  not  without  hopes,  as  I  said  to  Lord  Gren- 
ville,  that  the  extreme  insolence  of  the  Convention  may 
predominate  ;  particularly,  as  after  I  had  written  to  him, 
and  Timms  was  gone,  I  received  by  estafette,  from  Frank- 
fort, the  ]\Ioniteur  of  the  1st  of  February,  which  has  in  it  a 
report  made  by  Boissy  cVAnglas,  from  the  Committee  of 
Public  Safety  ;  which,  although  it  is  more  particularly 
pointed  against  us  and  Russia,  is  conceived  in  terms  so 
injurious  and  offensive  to  all  the  Kings  and  Governments 
of  Europe,  and  at  the  same  time  pledges  so  positively 

R    2 


244  DIARIES  AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [l795. 

the  Convention  to  the  people  of  France  never  to  make 
peace  but  on  such  extraordinary  conditions,  and  in  so 
extraordinary  a  manner,  that  even  Goltze  and  Hornier 
would  be  forced  to  consider  them  as  inadmissible.  In 
addition  to  this  proof  of  their  being  intoxicated  by  their 
successes,  I  hear,  (also  from  Frankfort,  my  letters  from 
thence  dated  the  9th,)  that  Barthelemi,  has  signified  that 
the  Convention  will  insist  on  the  status  quo  in  Poland  as 
in  1792  as  a  sine  qua  non.  If  this  be  true,  it  ought  to 
put  an  end  to  the  dangerous  disputes  between  the  co- 
dividing  Powers,  to  anger  them  all  equally,  and  induce 
them  to  lay  aside  all  idea  of  a  pacification,  general  or 
separate,  by  mediation,  or  through  principals. 

In  the  mean  while,  and  as  long  as  all  those  very  essen- 
tial points  remain  in  suspension,  we  all  must  be  governed 
by  the  very  imperious  nature  of  the  circumstances  of  the 
moment :  danger  jDresses  us  on  every  side,  and  it  is  not 
a  time  to  betray  misgivings,  or  enter  into  minute  dis- 
cussions. We  must  take  things  as  they  are,  and  make 
the  best  of  them.  I,  however,  should  be  very  sorry  to 
see  a  single  regiment  of  Clairfayt's  army  move  to  the 
right,  even  supposing  the  enemy  had  views  on  that  side, 
(which  they  have  not,)  and  were  they  then  in  force,  (which 
they  are  not — their  whole  army,  from  Bale  to  J\Ientz,  not 
exceeding  40,000  men).  It  is  of  a  very  inferior  con- 
sideration what  passes  on  the  Upper  Rhine,  and  towards 
Franconia  and  Suabia  :  but  if  Prussia  makes  a  separate 
peace,  and  if  the  Austrians  are  gone  from  the  Lower 
Rhine,  and  nothing  remains  but  the  fragment  of  our 
army,  all  this  Electorate,  all  the  upper  circles,  and  all  the 
coast  of  Germany,  from  Embden  to  Hamburgh  (inclu- 
sively), will  be  at  the  mercy  of  the  French. 

It  is  for  this  reason  that  I  have  written  to  General 
Harcourt  and  General  Walmoden  to  entreat  them  to 
prevail  on  General  Glairfayt  not  to  quit  his  present  po- 
sition till  they  hear  from  England,  or  till  he  has  positive 
orders  from  his  Court.  Besides  the  evident  danger  I  have 
just  stated,  I  believe  such  a  movement  is  in  direct  contra- 
diction to  our  plan,  which  (although  I  know  it  only  by 
inference)  I  take  to  be  not  such  a  tame  defensive  war,  as 


1795.]  BRUNSWICK.  245 

you  will  observe  the  King  of  Prussia  proposes  behind  the 
Weser,  but  to  try  to  pass  the  Rhine,  drive  the  enemy 
behind  the  Meuse,  and  make  an  attempt  to  deliver  Hol- 
land and  the  Low  Countries  ;  no  other  can  be  worth  the  ex- 
pense we  shall  be  at,  or  in  any  degree  answer  our  purpose. 

Besides  General  Reidesal,  you  will  have  had  Prince 
Ernest,  of  Strelitz,  at  Berlin.  General  Reidesal  is  accom- 
panied by  a  private  secretary  of  the  Duke  of  Brunswick, 
.(who  is  a  clever  man,  though  suspected  to  be  Jacobini- 
cally  inclined,)  and  who  is  the  acting  minister.  The 
object  of  his  mission  was  to  be  very  careful  that  the 
duchy  of  Brunswick  should  be  included  in  the  peace,  if 
peace  is  made.  That  of  Prince  Ernest  to  discover  the 
real  intentions  of  the  Cabinet  of  Berlin,  and  to  settle  a 
plan  of  campaign.  Reidesal  may  be  successful  in  his 
object ;  but  I  much  doubt  whether  His  Serene  Highness 
will  be  up  to  the  difficulty  of  that  he  is  charged  with. 
He  however  has  quick  parts,  and  is  extremely  zealous. 

I  return  your  Lordship  the  decyphers  of  Whitworth's 
despatches,  with  many  thanks.  Russia  is  playing  the 
same  game  with  us  now,  she  has  been  playing  these 
twenty  years ;  and  when  I  read  what  Sir  Charles  writes, 
it  appears  to  me  that  I  am  carried  back  fifteen  years,  and 
treating  myself  with  Ostermann  and  Besberodko ;  it  is 
literally  the  same  phrases,  same  arguments,  same  inten- 
tion to  deceive  us  on  the  part  of  the  Empress,  and  same 
inclination  to  believe  on  ours. 


EXTRACT    OF    A    LETTER    FROM    LORD    MALMESBURY    TO    THE 
DUCHESS    OF    BRUNSWICK. 

Hanover,  17th  Feb.,  1795. 

J'ai  rhonneur  d'accuser  la  reception  de  la  lettre  que 
Votre  Altesse  Sereine  m'a  ecrite  en  date  d'avant  hier. 
J'aurai  tout  le  soin  possible  de  celle  qui  s'y  trouve  incluse. 

Les  nouvelles  que  M.  de  Constant  mande  de  Hollande 
sont  une  suite  naturelle  de  I'irruption  des  Carmagnols,  et 
de  la  restoration  des  Patriotes.  Les  maux  qui  en  resulte- 
ront  serviront  peutetrc  plus  efficacement  a  faire  sentir 


246  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [l795. 

aux  Hollandais  leurs  vrais  int^rets  et  leurs  vrais  amis 
que  toute  autre  chose.  Nous  ne  sommes  pas  peutetre  a 
la  derniere  revolution  que  nous  verrons  dans  ce  pays  dans 
ce  siecle ;  et  tout  ce  que  se  passe  a  present  servira  a  ce 
que  je  crois,  a  effectuer  une  guerison  radicale.  C'est  le 
Sieur  Paulus  qui  dirige  la  barque  ;  il  va  tenter  de  realiser 
le  changement  dans  la  Constitution  qu'il  a  voulu,  avec  ses 
associ^s,  adopter  en  1786,  et  s'il  faut  croire  a  la  Gazette 
de  Hambourg,  il  y  va  d'une  maniere  nuUement  propre  a 
concilier  les  esprits. 

J'ai  rhonneur  d'informer  Votre  Altesse  Sereine  que 
M.  de  Kalicheff  est  ici  depuis  Dimanche  ;  il  a  quitt6  la 
Haye  le  28  Janvier  avec  des  passeports  Fran^ais.  II 
parait  tres  rassure  sur  le  sort  de  votre  auguste  famille,  et 
n'a  pas  une  doute  sur  leur  heureuse  arriv^e  en  Angleterre. 

C'est  M. ,  et  le  jeune  '",  qui  ont  accompagnes 

les  Princesses  dans  leur  pink,  et  M.  Vaillant  qui  a  6t6 
avec  les  Princes.  M.  de  Wassenau  Staremberg  est  parti 
en  meme  temps. 

Sa  soeur  et  Mde.  de  Pteede  etaient  dans  une  autre 
pink  destin6  a  suivre  celle  qui  conduisaient  Leurs  Al- 
tesses  Royales,  ainsi  que  Madame  Miincbbausen.  Les 
nouvelles  publiques  que  nous  donnent  Mons.  de  KalicbeflP, 
ne  sont  pas  d'une  date  bien  fraiche.  A  son  depart  Leurs 
Hautes  Puissances  ainsi  que  Leurs  IS'^obles  Puissances 
furent  en  fonctions.  Mons.  de  Rhoon  travaillait  avec  les 
Commissaires  Fran^ais  pour  conserver  la  tranquillite  a  la 
Haye.  Mons.  Vander  Spiegel  fesoit  des  expeditions  avec 
eux,  et  on  allait  envoyer  un  ordre  au  Greffier  Fagel  de  re- 
venir.  Ses  deux  freres  a  ce  que  leur  soeur  Agn^s  ecrit  a 
Madame  Goden  (qui  est  ici)  en  date  du  5",  sont  de  retour 
depuis  le  3°.  Depuis,  on  a  cliang6  tout  ceci,  et  on  a  in- 
troduit  un  nouveau  regime.  Le  Grand  Pensionnaire  doit 
etre  renvoye. 

Mons.  de  Kalicheff  dit  que  Pichegru  se  comporte  tr^s 
bien,  mais  que  les  quatre  Commissaires  sont  des  rustres 
et  des  insolcns.  II  n'y  a  guere  au-dela  de  deux  cent 
Housards  a  la  Haye  ;  le  tout  est  tranquille,  mais  d'un 

*  Names  illegible  in  MS.,  hut  lujt  tliosc  mentioned  in  Lord  Malnicsbury's 
letter  to  the  Duke  of  Brunswiek  in  page  236. 


1795.]  BRUNSWICK.  247 

triste  inconcevable.  Le  Comte  Walderen  est  tres  abattu ; 
sa  femme  se  soutient  a  merveille.  Madame  d'Ablaing 
n'a  pas  pu  se  saiiver  ;  elle  se  porte  bieii.  Deux  Housards 
sont  billetes  cliez  elle,  mais  ne  la  molestent  pas.  Les  Mi- 
nistres  de  Suede  et  de  Danemarc  se  comporteut  en  vrais 
Carmagnols,  ainsi  que  Mons.  Arango,  a  qui  j'espere  cette 
conduite  vaudra  une  disgrace.  On  a  respect^  I'hotel  de 
Lord  St,  Helens  ;  la  grand  garde  est  dans  la  maison  de 
Mons.  Lynden. 


EXTRACT  OF  A  LETTER  FROM  LORD  MALMESBURY  TO  GENERAL 

WALIIODEN. 

Hanover,  25tli  Feb.,  1795. 

Je  vous  ai  bien  des  obligations  des  deux  lettres  que 
vous  m'avez  fait  la  grace  de  m'ecrire  de  Miiuster  et 
d'Osnabruck.  J'apprend  avec  bien  de  la  peine  que  vous 
etes  incommode,  a  chaque  jour  swffit  son  mal,  et  assure- 
nient  dans  celui  d'aujourd'hui  ceci  est  doublement  vrai. 

Les  nouvelles  qui  me  sont  entrees  ce  matin  de  Berlin 
sont  d'une  nature  a  confirmer  toutes  mes  craintes  sur  le 
pen  de  fonds  a  faire  sur  la  conduite  de  cette  cour,  soit 
politique  soit  militaire.  Le  Roi,  influ6  par  le  Prince  Henri, 
a  consenti  aux  conditions  infiniment  outrageantes  que  la 
Convention  avait  osee  proposer  comme  son  ultimatum. 
Le  Roi  de  Prusse  abandonne  aux  Franqais  toute  la  rive 
gauche  du  Rhin,  y  compris  ses  propres  etats  dans  le 
pays  de  Cleves :  rien  n'est  stipule  en  sa  faveur,  ou  en 
favour  de  ses  allies.  On  prc^tend  que  le  Duche  de  Brons- 
vic  doit  etre  compris,  et  il  y  a  un  bruit  qui  se  repand 
que  le  Landgrave  de  Hesse  Cassel  desire  la  meme  chose. 
II  est  peu  necessaire,  M.  le  Comte,  que  je  fasse  un  com- 
mentaire  sur  une  mesure  pareille,  egalement  contraire 
aux  interets  comme  a  la  dignity  du  Souverain  qui 
Fadopte.  II  est  douloureux  de  voir  qu'il  ne  sera  ni  le 
premier  ni  le  seul  a  sentir  tons  les  maux  qui  en  re- 
sulteront,  et  c'est  une  faible  consolation  de  pr6voir  qu'il 
sappe  les  fondemens  de  son  trone  et  entraine  sa  propre 
chute. 


248  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [l795. 

LETTER  FROM  HIS  ROYAL   HIGHNESS   THE   PRINCE  OF  WALES    TO 

LORD  MALMESBURY. 

Carlton  House,  21st  Feb.,  1795. 

My  Dear  Lord, — I  do  myself  the  pleasure  of  acknow- 
ledging the  receipt  of  three  letters  I  received  on  the  19th 
from  your  Lordship,  two  dated  the  1 5th  and  1 8th  Janu- 
ary, the  other  I  suppose  written  on  a  subsequent  day,  but 
bearing  no  date.  Accept  my  best  thanks  for  every  step  that 
you  have  taken,  as,  to  the  best  of  my  judgment,  nothing 
can  have  been  more  consistent  in  point  of  prudence  and 
propriety,  and,  indeed,  more  consonant  to  my  wishes,  than 
your  conduct  appears  to  me  to  have  been  throughout  this 
very  tedious  and  trying  Embassy.  The  accounts  you  are  so 
good  as  to  give  me  of  the  temper  and  resignation  with 
which  the  Princess  is  so  good  as  to  bear  with  the  inter- 
ruptions in  her  journey,  is  more  than  I  fancy  any  one 
would  venture  to  say  for  me  from  hence,  as  I  assure  you, 
all  the  mismanagement,  procrastinations,  and  difficulties 
that  I  have  met  with  in  the  conduct  of  this  business  on 
this  side  of  the  water  have  totally  put  patience  (a  virtue 
you  well  know  that  our  family  in  general  are  not  much 
endowed  with)  out  of  the  question.  On  account  of  the 
unfortunate  position  of  affairs  on  the  Continent,  I  have 
judged  it  necessary,  in  order  to  bring  the  Princess  over 
in  the  most  expeditious,  as  well  as  the  safest  mode,  to 
contrive  she  should  be  in  a  manner  smuggled  over  into 
this  country  ;  this  meets  entirely  with  His  Majesty's 
approbation,  and  the  plan  to  be  pursued  is  this.  The 
yachts,  as  well  as  the  ladies  and  gentlemen  who  were  to 
have  had  the  honour  of  attending  the  Princess,  to  remain 
under  expectation  of  receiving  sailing  orders  hourly. 
The  convoy  destined  originally  to  attend  upon  the 
Princess,  to  proceed  to  sea  with  the  rest  of  the  fleet  and 
transports  going  to  fetch  the  remains  of  our  army  from 
the  Continent.  By  which  means  they  will  endeavour  to 
make  Stade,  having  detached  themselves  from  the  rest 
of  the  fleet  at  a  certain  latitude.  Finding  themselves 
there,  to  take  you  and  your  charge  aboard,  before  it  is 


1795.J  BRUNSWICK.  249 

suspected  even  on  this  side  of  the  water  that  such  a  plan 
is  in  agitation.  Not  thinking  it  proper  that  the  Princess 
should  come  without  a  lady,  Mrs.  Harcourt  is  ordered  to 
attend  her  ;  and  her  own  ladies,  Lady  Jersey  and  Mrs. 
Aston,  who  were  to  have  sailed  in  the  yachts  to  have 
fetched  her  over,  will  be  ready  to  receive  her  at  the 
water-side  on  her  landing,  together  with  Clermont  and 
the  rest  of  her  suite.  The  general  and  universal  mortifi- 
cation occasioned  by  the  fleet's  being  obliged  to  put  back, 
made  us  doubly  anxious  by  every  means  that  human  fore- 
sight can  devise  to  prevent  a  similar  unpleasant  contre- 
temps happening  again  ;  and  we  therefore  think,  in  addi- 
tion to  this  motive,  that  by  retaining  the  yachts  and  at- 
tendants here,  we  shall  prevent  entirely  our  enemies  from 
having  the  smallest  intimation  of  our  having  in  present 
and  immediate  contemplation  the  scheme  of  the  Princess's 
crossing. 

I  hope  you  will  make  this  plan  acceptable  to  the 
Princess  as  well  as  the  Duchess,  as  you  must  be  well  ac- 
quainted with  my  impatience  ;  and  I  beg  you  will  assure 
them  both,  that  there  is  no  sort  of  respect,  state,  and  at- 
tention, that  shall  not  be  shown  the  Princess,  the  moment 
she  sets  her  foot  on  our  dear  little  island.  I  am  con- 
vinced you  will  heartily  concur  with  me  in  my  anxious 
endeavours  through  this,  or  even  any  other  means,  to 
bring  your  voyage  to  as  expeditious  and  happy  a  termi- 
nation as  possible.  I  write  to  the  Duchess  of  Brunswick 
by  the  same  courier,  which  letters  you  will  have  the  good- 
ness to  deliver  into  her  hands  yourself.  I  cannot  help 
once  more  reiterating  my  thanks  to  you,  my  dear  Lord, 
for  your  judgment  and  caution  through  all  these  late  oc- 
currences, &c. 

I  remain  with  great  truth,  &c., 

George  P. 

P.S. — Pray  say  everything  that  is  kind  from  me  to 
Hislop. 


250  DIARIES  AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [l795. 


EXTRACT    OF   A    LETTER   FROM    LORD    MALMESBURY    TO    LORD 

GRENVILLE. 

Hanover,  Thursday,  Feb.  26th,  1795. 

The  apprehension  that  the  King  of  Prussia  has  con- 
sented to  the  extravagant  conditions  proposed  by  France, 
and  that  he  is  on  the  eve  of  signing  a  separate  peace,  has 
naturally  produced  a  great  degree  of  alarm  here  ;  this 
apprehension,  your  Lordship  will  perceive,  from  Lord  H. 
Spencer's  Despatch,  is  but  too  well  founded.  For  a 
few  days,  it  is  said,  His  Prussian  Majesty  appeared  de- 
termined not  to  submit  to  so  disgraceful  a  cessioQ  as  that 
of  his  own  territories  on  the  left  bank  of  the  Rhine,  and 
in  this  moment  he  declared  liis  intention  that  M.  MoUen- 
dorif  s  army  should  immediately  march  to  the  defence  of 
the  Lower  Rhine,  and  that  he  would  put  himself  at  the 
head  of  it.  But  it  was  never  the  intention  of  those  who 
surround  and  lead  him  that  this  should  take  j^lace  in  the 
way  he  intended  ;  and  if  they  did  not  oppose  the  march 
of  the  troops  from  the  Upper  Rhine,  it  was  because  the  re- 
moving them  from  thence,  and  bringing  them  home  through 
Westphalia,  answered  their  purpose  in  every  respect. 

Prince  Henry  of  Prussia  prides  himself  upon  having 
managed  and  managing  the  whole  of  this  disgraceful  mea- 
sure. How  he  acquired  this  ascendancy,  and  how  he 
maintains  it,  I  neither  can  conjecture  nor  learn ;  he  is 
probably  brought  forward  as  the  temporary  instrument  of 
that  mass  of  corruption  and  treachery  which  surround  the 
King  of  Prussia,  and  will  be  sacrificed  whenever  their 
work  is  complete. 

It  is  difficult  to  understand  how  His  Prussian  ]\Iajesty 
can  dispose  of  countries  not  his  own,  and  from  their  con- 
stitution, inalienable  from  the  German  Empire,  unless  he 
means  to  unite  with  France  hostilely  against  those  to 
whom  they  belong,  and  to  guarantee  them  to  France, 
under  all  circumstances.  The  Treaty,  then,  instead  of 
one  of  a  shameful  and  ignominious  peace,  may  be  consi- 
dered as  one  of  a  predatory  alliance  ;  and  such  a  league 
between  two  such  Powers  may  have  very  serious  conse- 


1795.]  BRUNSWICK.  251 

quences.  It  is  impossible  that  this  consideration  should 
escape  the  minds  of  people  here,  and  it  augments  very 
materially  their  anxiety.  It  is  indeed  very  reasonable 
to  suspect  that  the  Court  of  Berlin  has  in  view  some 
equivalent  for  the  loss  of  the  Duchy  of  Cleves,  Prussian 
Guelders,  and  the  County  of  Maes. 

The  Duke  of  Brunswick  has,  I  understand,  received 
assurances  from  the  King  that  his  Dutchy  shall  be  in- 
cluded in  the  negotiation  ;  I  have  not  heard  it  from  him- 
self, but  there  is,  I  believe,  no  doubt  of  the  fact.  It  is 
also  said  that  the  Landgrave  of  Hesse  has  solicited  to  be 
comprised  in  it.  The  condition  that  the  French  will  un- 
doubtedly attach,  as  a  sine  qua  non  to  their  admission, 
will  be  an  immediate  withdrawing  of  their  troops  in  our 
pay  from  the  combined  army. 

I  have  written  the  substance  of  what  I  hear  on  this 
subject  to  Generals  Harcourt  and  Walmoden.  They  pro- 
bably have  no  other  channel  of  information  at  this  mo- 
ment, and  it  appears  to  me  of  the  last  importance,  that 
they  should  not,  in  the  disposition  of  their  army,  reckon 
on  any  real  and  eifectual  assistance  from  that  under 
]\I.  ]\Iollendorff,  which  is  marching  towards  them  ;  its 
arrival  on  its  ground,  instead  of  assistance  and  utility, 
will  only  add  to  the  difficulty  and  distress  of  their  situa- 
tion by  the  quarters  it  will  fill,  the  provisions  it  will 
consume,  and  the  pernicious  doctrines  its  officers  will 
spread  amongst  our  troops. 


EXTRACT  OF  A  LETTER  FROM  LORD  MALMESBURY  TO 
COMMODORE  PAYNE. 

Hanover,  13th  March,  1795. 

Major  Hislop  will  tell  you  more  in  five  minutes  than  I 
could  write  to  you  in  as  many  pages.  I  should  be  ex- 
tremely sorry  that  the  weather  should  force  you  to  put 
to  sea  again ;  for  although  I  am  satisfied  you  would  soon 
return,  yet  the  idea  would  give  great  pain  and  anxiety  to 
the  Princess. 

I  apprehend   that  as    our   infantry   is   to    return   to 


252  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [l795. 

England,  the  enemy  will  be  able  to  force  our  cordon  ;  and 
as  they  are  particularly  bent  on  destroying  our  troops, 
endeavour  to  cut  off  their  retreat,  and  follow  their  heels 
to  the  water  side.  If  this  happens  (and  we  are  not  safe), 
we  shall  be  involved  in  the  same  dithculty,  and  become 
an  additional  motive  for  the  adopting  this  measure  ;  and 
it  is  in  consequence  of  this  apprehension  that  I  deter- 
mined to  prevail  on  Major  Hislop  to  go  to  Cuxhaven,  as 
he  can  speak  much  more  positively  on  it  than  I  can. 
Whatever  you  and  he  decide,  I  will  venture  to  only 
decide. 

I  thank  you  for  the  several  letters  you  enclosed  to  me. 
I  send  you  one  I  received  from  Mr.  Burgess ;  in  addition 
to  this.  Lord  and  Lady  Gilford  are  here  (you  knew  her  at 
Lady  Payne's  under  the  name  of  Caroline  de  Thunn),  and 
are  most  anxious  to  get  to  England  safe  and  soon  ;  to 
them,  as  to  all  others,  I  have  given  the  same  answer,  that 
I  cannot  dispose  of  any  place  on  board  of  any  of  the 
ships,  and  that  I  conceive  your  hands  are  tied  by  Ad- 
miralty orders.  I  feel,  however,  very  much  disposed  to 
plead  the  cause  of  Lady  Gilford  :  she  is  daughter  to  a 
very  old  friend  of  mine  ;  she  is  a  very  amiable  woman, 
and  she  is  far  gone  with  child  :  but  all  these  circum- 
stances must  give  way  before  duty  and  orders  ;  I  write 
them  merely  to  interest  your  feelings,  if  you  are  at 
liberty  to  give  way  to  them. 


EXTRACTS  OF  A  LETTER  FROM  LORD  MALMESBURY  TO  GENERAL 

HARCOURT. 

Hanover,  16th  March,  1795. 

I  MOST  sincerely  wish  I  had  not  the  merit  of  being  a 
true  prophet,  but  my  apprehensions  went  but  upon  two 
solid  grounds.  Since  I  wrote  to  you  on  the  14th,  I  have 
received  indirect  intimation  from  Baron  Hardenberg  in 
his  way  through  Frankfort  to  Bale,  which  confirms  every- 
thing I  then  said,  both  as  to  the  nature  of  his  instruc- 
tions, and  the  extent  of  his  full  powers.  lie  insinuates, 
liowever,  in  expressions  merely  tantamount  to  a  promise, 


1795.J  BRUNSWICK.  253 

that  he  will  temporise  and  protract  the  final  determi- 
nation of  his  negotiation  till  he  is  quite  sure  we  do  not 
intend  to  come  forward  with  any  proposals  to  renew  our 
Subsidiary  Treaty  with  Prussia,  either  in  the  same  shape 
as  last  year,  or  under  any  other  more  applicable  to  the 
present  time;  and  as  he  conceives  that  this  will  not  be 
irrevocahly  settled  till  after  my  arrival  in  England,  he 
seems  to  fix  some  weeks  beyond  that  day  for  the  conclu- 
sion of  his  work.  I  have  replied  to  him  also  indirectly, 
"  that  I  will  make  an  exact  report  of  what  he  has  con- 
veyed to  me  from  Brunswick  and  from  Frankfort ;  that  I 
have  no  doubt  of  his  sincerity,  and  his  political  principles, 
and  that  as  far  as  these  can  influence  the  conduct  of  his 
Court,  I  am  confident  all  will  go  well  ;  that,  however,  he 
must  be  aware  that  the  Ministerial  reports  from  Lord 
H.  Spencer  at  Berlin,  must  be  those  on  which  His  Ma- 
jesty's Ministers  must  rest  their  conduct,  and  that  I 
wish,  more  than  I  expect,  that  they  may  coincide  with 
what  he  said  to  me,  and  what  I  am  sure  he  thought ;  in 
the  meanwhile  I  much  approved  his  idea  of  prolonging 
his  negotiation. 

The  longer  the  French  are  in  the  dark  as  to  the  way 
in  which  they  are  to  consider  the  Prussian  army,  the 
better ;  this  doubt  is,  I  fear,  the  only  advantage  we  are 
likely  to  derive  from  its  presence  in  Westphalia. 

I  mentioned  to  you  in  my  last  the  uneasiness  felt  here, 
and  at  Brunswick,  in  the  removal  of  the  British  infantry 
from  the  army.  The  members  of  this  Regency  and  Mar- 
shal Freytag  (to  both  of  whom,  in  consequence  of  orders 
from  home,  I  had  communicated  this  intended  measure, 
previous  to  the  reception  of  yours  of  the  12th),  have 
pressed  me  to  entreat  of  you,  if  possible,  to  delay  their 
departure  for  a  few  days  ;  till  such  time  as  the  gap 
made  by  their  being  withdrawn  can  be  filled  up  either  by 
Prussians  or  Austrians  ;  for,  as  to  the  corps  under  Prince 
Ernest,  they  declare  (and  I  believe  very  truly)  that  it  is 
not  fit  to  take  the  field,  and  utterly  disqualified  for  that 
purpose. 


254  DIARIES   AND    CORRESPONDENCE.  [l795. 

LETTER    FROM    LORD    MALMESBURY    TO    L.  CRAWFORD,    ESQ. 
Secretary  of  State's  Office,  London,  10th  April,  1795. 

My  DEAR  Sir, — I  send  you,  enclosed,  a  letter  for  our 
friend  at  Bale,  which  I  wish  you  to  get  conveyed  to  him 
by  a  safe  channel.  It  is  impossible  for  me  to  enter  with 
you  into  a  long  detail  of  the  measures  likely  to  be  taken 
here,  because  hitherto  the  outlines  of  them  only  are 
formed,  but  with  a  sufficient  degree  of  certainty  as  to  the 
result  to  authorise  me  to  say,  without  hesitation,  to  Har- 
denberg  what  I  have  said.  I  could  wish  you,  on  your  side, 
to  add  a  letter  to  Gravinus,  to  keep  him  up  tight  to  the 
collar,  and  to  urge,  in  the  strongest  manner,  the  extreme 
necessity  of  Hardenberg's  keeping  faith  with  us,  and  not 
finally  concluding  his  Mission  till  he  hears  from  Berlin, 
and  from  the  King  himself  You  will  do  a  very  essential 
service  to  the  two  Courts  and  to  Europe  by  enforcing  this 
measure.  I  am  happy  to  have  been  able  to  have  brought 
it  so  soon  to  a  point,  and  particularly  at  a  moment  when 
there  is  so  much  business  of  another  nature  going  on, 
and  which  engages  almost  entirely  our  whole  attention. 

The  marriage  was  celebrated  on  Wednesday,  and  if 
they  go  on  as  well  as  they  have  begun,  all  will  do  w^elL 

I  write  in  haste,  as  the  person  who  is  to  take  charge  of 
this  as  far  as  Brunswick,  is  waiting.  Compliments  to 
everybody  at  the  Red  House.  I  am,  &c. 

Malmesbury. 

P.S. — Make  Hardenberg  and  Gravinus  feel  no  time  has 
been  lost.  I  got  to  England  only  on  Sunday  night,  and  it 
is  now  only  Friday  morning. 


[Prussia  made  a  separate  Treaty  with  France,  April  5th, 
in  which  she  ceded  to  the  latter  her  territories  on  the 
left  bank  of  the  Rhine. 

The  campaign  of  179. 5  closed  in  favour  of  the  Aus- 
triaus,  who  retook  ]\Ianheim,  and  drove  the  French  across 
the  Rhine.] 


1795.]  ENGLAND.  255 

LETTER    FROM    LORD    MALMESBURY    TO    THE    DUKE    OF    YORK. 

London,  5th  Dec,  1795. 

Sir, — No  foreign  mail  is  come  in,  neither  have  I  lieard 
since  yesterday  any  event  worthy  your  Royal  Highness's 
notice. 

The  debate  on  the  Bill  for  the  Suppression  of  Seditious 
Meetings  will  come  on,  on  the  Second  reading  of  it,  on 
Wednesday  next  in  the  House  of  Lords ;  I  am  sorry  to 
say  that  almost  everybody  who  ever  votes  in  Opposition, 
means  to  attend  and  vote  against  it.  The  Duke  of  Leeds, 
whose  member  (Abbott)  spoke  so  forcibly  in  the  House  of 
Commons  in  its  favour,  has  been  wrought  upon  by  some 
of  the  enemies  to  the  bill,  and,  I  apprehend,  will  be 
against  it.  The  Duke  of  Grafton  and  Lord  Lansdowne  are 
in  town,  and  I  should  not  be  surprised  if  the  minority  on 
Wednesday  should  be  from  eighteen  to  twenty.  The 
original  day  intended  for  the  debate  was  Tuesday,  but  it 
was  postponed  at  Lord  Lauderdale's  request ;  the  Whig 
Club  being  to  meet  on  that  day.         I  am,  &c. 

Malmesbury. 


LETTER    FROxM    LORD    MALMESBURY    TO    THE    DUKE    OF    YORK. 

London,  7th  Dec,  1795. 

Sir, — Your  Royal  Highness  will  be  pleased  to  accept 
my  most  respectful  thanks  for  your  letter  of  yesterday. 

There  was  a  very  considerable  meeting  of  the  different 
factious  societies  to  day  in  Alarylebone  Fields,  and  it  is 
not  yet  (4  p.m.)  dispersed.  Their  object  appears  solely 
to  be  to  keep  the  cause  alive  and  the  spirits  of  their 
followers  up,  in  order  to  act  whenever  they  may  think  it 
safe  and  prudent.  Jones  was  the  principal  speaker,  and  his 
language  was  chiefly  to  this  eifect ;  a  resolution  of  thanks 
was  voted  to  Mr.  Fox  for  some  of  the  late  declarations  he 
has  made  in  Parliament.  I  cannot  but  be  glad  of  this,  as, 
whatever  explanation  he  may  think  proper  to  give  them, 
it  is  very  clear  how  they  are  understood  Jby  these  societies. 


25G  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [l795. 

There  is  no  doubt  but  this  meeting  will  break  up  without 
coming  to  any  riot,  or  committing  any  excesses,  which  I 
am  sorry  for,  as  at  the  present  moment  every  preparation 
is  made  to  subdue  them,  which  may  not  be  the  case  some 
time  hence.  Your  Royal  Highness  will  forgive  my  writing 
in  haste,  as  I  am  going  down  to  the  House  of  Commons 
to  hear  the  budget,  of  which,  if  it  ends  before  the  post 
goes  out,  I  will  have  the  honour  to  send  an  account. 

I  am,  &c. 

Malmesbury. 

P.S. — The  Austrians,  so  far  from  having  received  any 
check,  have  on  one  side  gained  a  considerable  advantage 

over  the  French   on  the '"',    and   on    the    other, 

have  advanced  as  far  as  Deux-ponts  and  Saarl^riich  ;  this 
appears  from  the  last  French  papers  received  yesterday. 


LETTER    FROM    LORD    MALMESBURY    TO    THE    DUKE    OF    YORK. 

London,  10th  Dec,  1795. 

Sir, — The  expectation  I  was  under  of  news  from  the 
Continent  every  moment,  and  no  mail  coming  in  till  a 
very  late  hour,  was  the  reason  of  my  not  writing  to 
your  Royal  Highness. 

The  debate  f  in  the  House  of  Lords  began  at  five,  and 
did  not  end  till  a  quarter  past  three.  The  speakers 
against  the  Bill  (and  usually  in  Opposition)  were  those 
your  Royal  Highness  noticed  in  your  last  letter.  Lord 
Thurlow  was  artfully  and  cautiously  factious ;  Lord 
Moira  (I  am  very  sorry  to  say)  loudly  and  violently  so  ; 
and  I  think  I  never  heard  a  speech  with  so  much  unfair 
and  unprovoked  invective  against  ]\Iinisters,  with  so  much 
misrepresentation  and  misstatement,  nor  'with  such  in- 
flammal)le  materials  for  raising  discontent  and  the  worst 
of  suspicions  in  the  minds  of  the  people.  It  was  evident 
to  me  from  the  manner  of  these  new  partisans  of  the 
Opposition,  and  from  the  part  they  had  allotted  to  thein- 

*  Name  illegible  in  MS. 

t  On  the  Bill  for  the  Suppression  of  Seditious  Meetings. 


1795.]  ENGLAND.  257 

selves  on  this  occasion,  that  they  have  it  in  their  ex- 
pectations the  present  Ministry  will  not  last ;  that  Fox 
and  his  party  will  not  be  chosen  to  succeed  them  ;  and 
that  they  shall  be  the  persons  to  fill  their  offices.     Lord 
Lansdowne's  speech  had  clearly  this  in  view ;    he  was 
neither  violent  nor  very  mischievous — at  least  for  him, 
and  neither  he  nor  Lauderdale,  nor  any  of  that  side  of 
the  House,  hinted  at  the  word  resistance.     In  speaking 
confidentially  to  your  Royal  Highness,  I  must  say  that  I  do 
not  think  the  measure  was  ably  or  judiciously  supported 
by  Ministers.      Lord  Grenville,  who  opened  the  business, 
was  prolix  and  heavy.     Lords  Westmoreland  and  ]\Iul- 
grave  did  toleral)ly  well ;  but  the  Chancellor,  who  replied 
to  Lord  Thurlow,  v/as  below  himself.    He  made  a  speech  of 
no  effect  as  to  the  measure,  and  which  drew  upon  him 
abuse  and  sarcasm  from  Lauderdale,  whom  he  left  unan- 
swered.    Lauderdale's  speech  was  addressed  to  the  bar, 
and  Lord  ]\Iansfield  very  justly  compared  him  to  Cleon 
haranguing   an    Athenian    democracy,    except    that    his 
language  was  not  elegant  Greek,  but  very  vulgar  English. 
Lord  Boringdon  did  extremely  well  in  support  of  the 
bill,  and  spoke  more  to  the  purpose  than  any  one.     The 
Duke  of  Leeds  did  not  speak,  and  I  believe  went  away 
without  voting.     Lord    JMoira  went   into   the  closet  on 
Thursday  last,  to  deliver  his  intentions  to  His  Majesty,  of 
voting  against  this  Bill  ;  his  audience  was  made  very 
short.     Yesterday  he  was  an  hour  at  Carlton  House,  and 
it  is  to  be  remarked  that  neither  Lords  Cholmondeley 
nor   Jersey  attended.     The    Duke   of  Bedford    did   not 
speak  ;    the    division    was    sixty-three   to    fifteen,    and 
forty-six  proxies  to  six.     I  enclose  a  list  of  the  minority 
which  is  the  largest  one  in  the  House  of  Lords  for  a  long 
time.     To-day  we  are  to  receive  the  King's  message  ;  and 
although  it  should  seem  to  convey  a  disposition  perfectly 
consonant  to  that  expressed  by  Opposition  at  the  opening 
of  the  session,  yet  I  find  it  is  to  be  strongly  reprobated, 
and  Ministers  to  be  abused  to-day  for  doing  what  they 
have  been  abused  for  not  doing,  for  these  last  two  years. 
The  bill  is  to  go  into  committee  to-morrow,  and  to  be 
read  a  third  time,  I  hope,  on  Monday.     It  seems  doubt- 

VOL.  III.  S 


258  DIARIES   AND   COllRESPONDENCE.  [l795. 

ful  whetlier  Opposition  will  all  attend  the  Committee. 
Thurlow  most  certainly  will,  with  an  endeavour  to  pull 
it  to  pieces  in  every  sense  of  the  word. 

Your  Royal  Highness  will,  I  take  it  for  granted,  have 
received  letters  from  Crawford,  with  a  more  circumstan- 
tial account  of  the  retaking  of  Manheim,  than  any  which 
have  come  to  my  knowledge.  I  had  a  letter  from  Baron 
Kinckel,  who  was  present  on  this  occasion  ;  he  says  no- 
thing could  equal  the  patience,  the  perseverance,  and 
bravery  of  the  Austrians.  In  speaking  of  their  generals,  he 
says,  "  Lappetit  leur  vient  en  mangeant,  et  Us  ne  parlent 
de  rien  moins  a  present  que  de  chasser  les  Franfais  des 
Fays  Bas  avant  de  prendre  leiirs  quartiers  d'hiver. 

Lord  Grenville  told  me  that  Clairfayt  had  detached  a  very 
considerable  corps  towards  Treves,  and  he  added,  that  the 
desertion,  or  rather  dispersion,  of  the  French  army  was  so 
great,  that  if  the  number  of  battalions  which  only  made  up 
the  10,000  captured  in  Manheim  had  been  complete,  their 
amount  would  have  been  30,000.*  The  town  has  suffered 
a  great  deal.  The  Prince  de  Condi's  army  has  crossed 
the  Rhine,  high  up  the  river,  with  a  view  to  penetrate  into 
Franche  Compte.  General  '''^  '"  '''  t  it  is  said  is  marching 
towards  Coblentz.  I  am,  &c. 

(Signed)  Malmesbury. 


NOT-CONTENTS. 

PROXIES. 

Norfolk. 

Besborough. 

Northumberland 

Bedford. 

Abingdon. 

Shaftesbury. 

Derby. 

Egniont. 

Thanct. 

Suffolk. 

Thurlow. 

Grafton. 

Albemarle. 

Say  and  Sele. 

Guilford. 

Moira. 

Chedworth. 

Teignham. 

Lauderdale. 

St.  John. 

Lansdowne. 

*  These  prisoners  were  restored  afterwards  to  the  French,  on  condition  of 
not  again  serving  against  the  Austrians.  They  were  sent  to  La  Vendee, 
where  they  decided  the  fate  of  the  war,  being  the  best  troops  the  Frencli 
had  at  that  time. 

t  Name  illegible  in  MS. 


259 


PAKIS. 


[In  the  autumn  of  1796,  the  successes  of  the  Archduke 
Charles  over  Jourdan  induced   Mr,  Pitt  to  believe  this  a 
favourable  moment  for  an  attempt  to  put  an  end  to  the 
war.      He  made  the  first  overture    to   the   Directory,"" 
through   M.  Roenemann,   the  Danish  Minister  at  Paris. 
This  was  rudelj  rejected  ;   but  the  intimation  given,  that 
passports  would  be  granted  to  a  negotiator  officially  ap- 
pointed.    In  announcing  this  event  to  the  Council,  the 
Directory  openly  denounced  the  English  Government  as  in- 
sincere in  its  intention,  and  this  overture  as  a  mere  con- 
trivance of  Pitt  to   delude  the  people  and  obtain  fresh 
supplies  ;  and  under  such  almost  hopeless  circumstances, 
Lord  Malmesbury  was  sent  to  Paris  in  October,     Revolu- 
tionised France  was  a  new  world  to  the  English,  and 
much  curiosity  is  evinced  in  all  the  letters  of  Lord  Malmes- 


*  The  Directory  was  at  this  time  composed  of  Barras,  Rewbell,  La 
Reveillere-Lepeaux,  Carnot,  and  Letourneur. 

Paul  Barras — -Nourri  dans  un  rang  eleve,  grand  et  beau  de  sa  pcr- 
sonne,  mais  son  regard  avoit  quelque  chose  de  sinistre.  Plus  emporte  que 
mechant.  II  avait  une  justesse  et  penetration  d'esprit ;  mais  paresseux  et 
ignorant,  Du  reste  dissolu  et  cynique — republicain  par  sentiment  et  par 
position,  mais  homme  sans  foi — (Thiers,  torn,  v.)     He  died  1829,  aged  74. 

Rewbell. — Ancien  avocat.  A  la  penetration,  au  discernement  les  plus  rares 
il  joignait  une  instruction  etendue,  une  memoire  fort  vaste,  une  rare  opini- 
atrete  au  travail.     Republicain  chaud,  sincere,  et  ferme. — (Id.) 

Carnot. — Ex-Montagnard.  On  voyoit  en  lui  I'union  d'un  grand  genie 
militaire  a  un  caractere  stoique — (Id.)  He  shared  in  the  cruelties  of  the 
Revolution.  Napoleon  recognized  his  talents,  but  found  him  too  inflexible 
for  his  purposes.     He  died  1823,  aged  70. 

La  Reveillere-Lepeaux. — Homme  simple  et  modeste,  peu  propre  au  man- 
iement  des  affaires  et  des  hommes.  Parlant  bien  et  d'une  fermete  rare,  il 
servoit  beaucoup  le  Directoire  par  sa  consideration  personnelle, — (Thiers, 
torn.  V.)     He  died  1824,  aged  71. 

Letourneur. — Bon  homme,  mais  vaniteux.  II  etoit  prompt  a  donncr  son 
avis  et  aussi  prompt  A  le  retirer.  Sa  voix  dans  toutes  les  occasions  appar- 
tenoit  a  Carnot. — (Thiers.) 

s  2 


2G0  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [1790. 

bury's  correspondents  to  learn  every  particular  of  a  coun- 
try and  people  which  had  overturned  all  the  moral,  social, 
and  political  principles  by  which  Europe  had  for  centuries 
been  ruled.  In  this  year,  and  in  their  y^rsif  diplomatic 
intercourse  with  England,  the  Directors  appear  to  have 
sometimes  studiously  and  purposely  tried  to  affront  any 
aristocratical  prejudices  they  might  believe  innate  in  our 
Ambassador,  even  to  the  childish  omission  of  the  usual, 
and  technical  expression  of  courtesy  with  which  all  letters 
are  concluded,  but  in  1797  they  became  more  humanized. 
Lord  Malmesbury's  instructions  were,  to  go  to  Paris, 
and  express  to  the  French  Government  "  our  anxious 
desire  to  terminate  the  war  by  a  just  and  honourable 
peace  ; "  then  to  proceed  to  state  "  that  this  peace  must 
be  negotiated  and  concluded  with  the  consent  of,  and  con- 
jointly with,  our  ally  the  Emperor  of  Austria,  and  this 
condition  to  be  a  sine  qua  non.  That,  therefore,  refer- 
ence to  the  Court  of  Vienna  must  be  permitted,  until  that 
Court  had  sent  a  Negotiator  to  Paris.  N^ot  to  sign  any 
agreement  between  himself  (Lord  ]\Iahnesbury)  and  the 
French  Republic,  without  previous  reference  to  the  Secre- 
tary of  State  in  London.  To  be  particularly  careful  to 
insist  upon  enjoying  in  France  all  the  rights,  prerogatives, 
&c.,  belonging  to  a  public  Minister ;  and  to  insist  on 
being  treated  in  the  same  manner  as  public  Ministers  are 
treated,  according  to  the  law  and  custom  of  nations  as 
generallif  received  in  Europe.  To  act  as  much  as  possi- 
ble in  concert  with  our  allies,  the  King  of  Naples  and 
Queen  of  Portugal  (at  that  time  negotiating  for  them- 
selves a  peace  with  France),  and  to  give  a  watchful 
attention  to  the  conduct  of  the  Spanish  Ambassador.""] 


MEMORIAL    TO    THE   FRENCH    DIRECTORY. 

Sa  Majeste  Britannique,  desirant,  comme  elle  a  deja 
d^clari'',  de  contribuer  en  autant  que  cola  pourra  dependre 
d'elle,  a  retablir  la  tranquillity  publique,  et  a  assuror  par 
des  conditions  de  paix,  justes,  lionorables,  et  solides,  le 
repos  futur  de  I'Europe,  Sa  Majesty  pense,  que  le  mcilleur 


179G.]  PARIS.  261 

inoyen  de  parveuir  le  plutot  possible  k  ce  but  salutaire, 
sera  de  convenir  des  le  conimencement  de  la  n^gociation 
du  principe  general  qui  devra  servir  de  base  aux  arrange- 
mens  d6finitifs. 

Le  premier  objet  des  Negociations  de  la  Paix  se  rap- 
porte  ordinairement  aux  restitutions  et  aux  cessions  que  les 
parties  respectives  ont  a  se  demander  mutuellement  en 
consequence  des  evenemens  de  la  guerre. 

La  Grande  Bretagne,  d'apres  le  succ^s  non  interronipu 
de  sa  guerre  maritime,  se  voit  dans  le  cas  de  n'avoir 
aucune  restitution  a  demander  a  la  France  ;  sur  laquelle, 
au  contraire,  elle  a  conquis  des  6tablissemens,  et  des 
colonies  de  la  plus  haute  importance  et  d'une  valeur 
presque  incalculable. 

Mais,  en  revanche,  cette  derni^re  a  fait  sur  le  Continent 
de  I'Europe  des  conquetes  auxquelles  Sa  Majesty  pent 
d'autant  moins  etre  indiff(6rente,  que  les  int^rets  les  plus 
importans  de  ses  peuples,  et  les  engagemens  les  plus 
sacr^s  de  sa  couronne  s'y  trouvent  essentiellement  im- 
IDliqu^s.'" 

La  magnanimity  du  Roi,  sa  bonne  foi  inviolable,  et  son 
d^sir  de  rendre  le  repos  k  tant  de  nations,  lui  font  envi- 
sager  dans  cet  6tat  des  choses  le  mojen  d'arriver  k  des 
conditions  de  paix  justes  et  ^quitables  pour  toutes  les 
Parties  Bellig^rantes,  et  propres  a  assurer  pour  I'avenir  la 
tranquillity  g^n^rale. 

C'est  done  sur  ce  pied  qu'elle  propose  de  negocier,  en 
offrant  de  compenser  a  la  France  par  des  restitutions  pro- 
portionelles  les  arrangemens  auxquels  cette  Puissance 
sera  appellee  a  consentir  pour  satisfaire  aux  justes  de- 
mandes  des  Allies  du  Roi,  et  pour  conserver  la  balance 


*  At  this  period  the  Belligerent  Powers  were,  Great  Britain  and  Austria 
on  one  side  ;  France,  Holland,  and  Spain  on  the  other.  Great  Britain  had 
wrested  from  France  and  Holland  almost  all  their  colonies,  and  main- 
tained her  naval  superiority  in  every  quarter  ;  and  the  Archduke  Charles 
had  compelled  Jourdan  and  Moreau  to  retreat  from  the  heart  of  Germany 
to  the  hanks  of  the  Rhine.  On  the  other  hand,  France  had  annexed  Bel- 
gium to  her  territory  by  conquest.  Holland  was  revolutioni/x'd,  and  entirely 
under  her  influence.  In  Italy,  Buonaparte  Iiad  conquered  Piedmont  and  the 
Milanese,  blockaded  Wurmser  in  Mantua,  and  had  taken  u])  a  position  to 
intercept  the  Austrian  army  marching  to  his  relief  from  the  Tyrol,  under 
General  Alvinzi. 


262  DIARIES  AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [1796. 

politique  de  I'Europe.  En  faisant  cette  premiere  oiiverture 
Sa  Majeste  se  reserve  a  s'expliquer  daus  la  suite  d'une 
mani^re  plus  6tendue  sur  rapplication  de  ce  principe  aux 
differens  objets,  dont  il  pourra  etre  question  entre  les 
parties  respectives. 

C'est  cette  application  qui  sera  la  mati^re  des  discus- 
sions, dans  lesquelles  elle  a  autoriz6  son  Ministre  d'entrer 
d^s  que  Ton  sera  convenu  du  principe  a  adopter  pour 
Base  G^n^rale  de  la  Negociation. 

Mais  Sa  Majesty  ne  pent  se  dispenser  de  declarer,  que 
si  cat  offre  g^n6reux  et  equitable  n'^toit  pas  accept^,  ou 
si  mallieureusement  les  discussions  qui  s'en  suivroient 
venoient  a  manquer  de  I'effet  d^sir6,  ni  cette  proposition 
g^n^rale,  ni  celles  plus  detaillees  qui  en  seroient  r^sult^es, 
ne  pourront  plus  etre  regardees  dans  aucun  cas  comme  de 
points  convenus  ou  accordes  par  Sa  Majeste. 


NOTE  FROM  LORD  GRENVILLE  TO  M.  DELACROIX.'"' 

a  Westminster,  13  Oetobie,  1796. 

Le  Lord  Malmesbury,  nomme  par  le  Roi  pour  traiter 
avec  le  Gouvernement  Francois  d'une  paix  juste  et  equi- 
table, propre  a  rendre  le  repos  a  I'Europe,  et  a  assurer 
pour  I'avenir  la  tranquillite  publique,  aura  I'honneur  de 
remettre  cette  lettre  de  ma  part  a  Mons.  De  la  Croix. 

Le  rang  et  le  merite  eminent  du  Ministre  que  Sa 
Majeste  a  choisi  dans  cette  occasion  me  dispense  de  rien 
dire  a  son  sujet,  en  meme  terns  qu'il  fournit  une  nouvelle 
preuve  du  d6sir  de  Sa  Majeste  de  contribuer  a  la  reussite 
de  c^tte  negociation,  objet  pour  lequel  je  fais  les  voeux 
les  plus  sinceres. 

]\Ionsieur  Delacroix  voudra  bien  agreer  de  ma  part 
I'assurance  de  la  consideration  la  plus  parfaite. 

(Sigue)  Grenville. 

All  Ministre  des  Relations 
Ext^rieurcs  a  Paris. 

*  Delacroix  (Frcncli  Minister  for  Foreign  Affairs)  capable  d'etre  bon 
administrateur,  rnais  dn  reste  niauvais  diplomatc,  trop  ])edant  et  trop  rude  dans 
ses  rapports  avec  les  ministres  des  Puissances. — Thiers,  toni.  v. page  310. 


1796.]  PARIS.  263 


DESPATCH    FROM    LORD    GRENVILLE    TO    LORD    MALMESBURY. 

Downing  Street,  14th  Oct.,  1796. 

My  Lord, — I  have  His  Majesty's  commands  to  desire, 
that  immediately  on  your  arrival  at  Paris,  you  should 
make  inquiries  respecting  the  situation  and  treatment  of 
Captain  Sir  William  Sidney  Smith,'"'  who,  as  it  has  been 
represented  to  His  Majesty,  has  been  confined  in  a  man- 
ner highly  injurious  to  him  and  utterly  repugnant,  both 
to  the  established  maxims  of  war  among  civilized  nations, 
and  particularly  to  the  humane  and  generous  treatment 
which  the  French  officers,  who  have  been  made  prisoners 
of  war,  have  uniformly  experienced  in  this  kingdom  during 
the  present  war. 

I  enclose  to  your  Lordship  a  copy  of  a  note  which  I 
have  received  on  this  subject  from  the  Swedish  Minister. 
The  certainty  which  this  ofticial  paper  conveys  to  His 
Majesty's  Government  of  the  rigorous  confinement  of 
Captain  Sir  W.  S.  Smith,  made  it  absolutely  necessary 
that  orders  should  be  given  for  observing  a  similar  con- 
duct towards  all  the  French  ofiicers  prisoners  of  war  in 
England.  But  you  will  acquaint  the  French  Government 
that  these  orders  have  not  yet  been  carried  into  execution, 
and  that  His  Majesty's  great  reluctance  to  take  any  step 
that  may  aggravate  the  calamities  of  war,  has  induced 
him  previously  to  avail  himself  of  the  opportunity  of  your 
Lordship's  mission,  to  direct  your  Lordship  to  make  the 
strongest  representations  to  obtain  for  Sir  S.  Smith  a 
treatment  suited  to  his  rank  and  situation,  and  to  pre- 
vent the  necessity  of  retaliations  here,  to  which  nothing 
but  the  indispensable  obligation  of  protecting  his  own 
officers  from  unmerited  rigour  and  indignity  could  induce 
His  Majesty  to  have  recourse. 

*  Sir  Sidney  Smith  had  been  taken  prisoner  in  the  preceding  month  of 
April,  in  the  attempt  to  cut  out  a  privateer  from  Havre.  The  French 
Government  affected  to  consider  him  as  a  spy,  and  kept  him  in  rigorous 
confinement  in  the  Temple.  He  escaped  in  May,  1798,  and  the  year  fol- 
lowing conducted  the  heroic  defence  of  Acre,  compelling  Buonaparte  to 
raise  a  siege  which  had  lasted  sixty  days,  with  the  loss  of  2,500  men,  and 
his  battering  train. 


264  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [l79G. 

If  any  attempt  is  made  to  distinguish  the  case  of  Sir 
S.  Smith  from  that  of  any  other  officer  prisoner  of  war, 
you  must  firmly  and  invariably  declare,  that  as  there 
are  not  the  smallest  grounds  for  such  a  pretext,  so  His 
Majesty  is  resolved  not  to  suffer  it  to  be  made  for  a  mo- 
ment matter  of  discussion.  Sir  S.  Smith,  in  the  exer- 
cise of  his  duty  as  an  officer,  and  in  the  conduct  of  a 
spirited  military  enterprise,  surrendered  to  a  superior 
force  as  prisoner  of  war,  he  was  accepted  as  such,  and  so 
recognised  in  the  letter  which  the  Governor  of  Havre 
wrote  the  next  day,  in  answer  to  the  apiDlication  which 
had  been  made  by  the  officer  next  in  command  to  know 
his  fate. 

You  will  endeavour  in  speaking  on  this  subject,  to 
avoid  in  the  first  instance,  all  unnecessary  irritation,  and 
to  obtain  by  a  conciliatory,  but  dignified  representation, 
a  change  of  measures  which  disgrace  the  Government  by 
whom  they  are  adopted  ;  but  if  this  mode  should  be 
found  ineffectual,  you  will  notify  formally  to  the  French 
Government,  that  until  Sir.  S.  Smith  is  suffered  to  go  at 
large  upon  his  parole,  in  the  manner  usually  practised 
with  respect  to  officers  of  his  rank  in  wars  between  Great 
Britain  and  France,  no  French  officer  will  be  allowed  a 
similar  liberty. 

I  am,  &c.  Grenville. 


LETTER    FROM    LORD    MALMESBURY   TO    LORD    GRENVILLE. 
(Private.)  Spring  Gardens,  Oct.  14th,  1706. 

]\Iy  dear  Lord, — I  have  to  apologise  for  not  men- 
tioning to  you  this  morning,  that  I  had  it  much  in  my 
wishes  to  take  with  me  a  confidential  friend  to  Paris ; 
but  I  was  far  from  being  sure  when  I  had  the  pleasure  of 
seeing  you  then,  that  Mr.  George  Ellis,  the  only  person  in 
whom  I  could  place  in  every  respect  entire  confidence, 
and  who  has  been  so  often  with  me  on  similar  occasions, 
would  have  it  in  his  power  to  accompany  me;  he  has 
very  kindly  consented  to  do  it,  and  I  lose  not  a  moment  in 


1796.]  PARIS.  265 

intreating  your  permission  to  be  allowed  to  instruct  him 
so  far  with  the  general  object  of  my  Mission,  as  to  enable 
me  to  have  recourse  to  his  opinion  and  judgment  on  those 
numberless  points  of  difficulty  and  dilemma  which  must 
inevitably  arise  in  the  course  of  it,  and  upon  which  I 
should  be  obliged  to  act  without  any  reference.  It  would 
be  of  such  infinite,  and  I  really  must  say,  necessary  com- 
fort to  me  to  have  a  person  of  such  tried  judgment  and 
ability  to  recur  to,  and  at  the  same  time  add  so  much  to 
my  power  of  acting  in  a  manner  conformable  to  the 
spirit  of  the  instructions  you  have  given  me,  that  I  am 
sure  you  will  not  think  my  feelings  as  an  individual  ex- 
traordinary, or  my  request  as  a  servant  of  the  public 
unreasonable. 

I  have  seen  Mr.  Pitt  since  I  saw  your  Lordship,  and 
since  I  had  hopes  of  Mr.  Ellis's  consenting  to  attend  me. 
He  has  entered  very  kindly  into  my  wishes,  at  the  same 
time  that  he  entirely  approved  the  choice  I  had  made,  and 
was  good  enough  to  authorize  me  to  say  as  much  to  you. 

After  what  I  have  written,  it  will  be  perhaps  unneces- 
sary to  observe,  that  Mr.  Ellis,  by  going  with  me,  neither 
intends  now,  or  at  any  time,  to  be  considered  as  having 
any  claims  on  Government,  or  as  in  any  degree  standing 
in  the  way  of  the  many  persons  who  are  advancing  in  the 
Foreign  Line.  He  goes  entirely  and  solely  as  my  private 
friend,  and  every  degree  of  public  responsibility  which 
may  attach  to  the  situation  of  confidence  in  which  he 
will  be  placed  will  rest  on  me,  and  it  is  running  very 
little  risk  in  saying,  that  I  shall  be  most  ready  to  be  ac- 
countable for  it. 


LETTER    FROM    LORD   GRENVILLE    TO    LORD    MALMESBURY. 

Dropmorc,  16th  Oct.,  1796.     8  a.m. 

My  dear  Lord, — As  I  think  that  this  may  probably 
still  overtake  you  at  Dover,  I  write  to  say,  that  we  have 
received  despatches  from  Vienna,  the  tenor  of  which, 
though  not  unsatisfactory  as  to  the  spirit  of  union  and 
concert  with  His  Majesty  which  prevails  there,  still  leaves 


266  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [l796. 

US  in  much  uncertainty  with  respect  to  the  objects  which 
that  Court  may  preferably  urge  in  case  of  detailed  nego- 
tiations for  peace.  In  this  state  I  do  not  think  it  useful 
to  add  anything  to  your  instructions,  but  I  would  not 
leave  you  unapprised  of  the  circumstance,  as  the  know- 
ledge of  it  will  naturally  induce  you  to  use,  if  possible, 
still  more  care  than  you  would  otherwise  have  done,  not 
to  let  any  hint  or  insinuation  drop  from  you  that  may 
have  the  remotest  tendency  to  commit  us  in  this  respect. 
It  is  perhaps  unnecessary  for  me  to  recall  to  your  recol- 
lection that,  by  the  Convention  signed  with  the  Court  of 
Vienna  in  the  beginning  of  the  war,  the  King  is  bound 
not  to  make  peace  without  the  consent  of  Austria,  except 
on  the  terms  of  procuring  for  that  Power  the  restitution 
of  all  it  may  have  lost  in  the  war.  I  mention  this  to 
you,  merely  as  a  thing  to  be  kept  in  your  own  mind  ;  the 
effect  or  application  of  this  stipulation  to  the  present 
state  of  things  must  be  matter  of  detailed  instruction  to 
you  if  the  negotiation  proceeds. 

Ever,  &c.  G. 


LETTER    FROM    LORD    MALMESBURY    TO    MR.  TITT. 

Dover,  Monday,  9  a.m.,  1796. 

My  dear  Sir, — I  am  greatly  obliged  to  you  for  the 
few  lines  you  were  so  good  as  to  write  to  me  yesterday 
evening  from  Beckenham  ;  I  hope  to  sail  in  about  an 
hour,  and  to  reach  Calais  early  this  evening.  I  am  sorry 
Austria  does  not  heartily  concur  in  the  measure  we  have 
adopted  ;  but  I  trust,  when  it  is  perceived  in  how  fair 
and  honourable  a  manner  we  shall  act  by  her,  that  in  the 
end  it  will  rather  conhrm  than  weaken  the  union  now 
subsisting  between  us. 

Good  news  will  enable  me  to  execute  my  orders  much 
better  than  any  means  I  have  within  myself ;  I  hope  all 
our  fair  prospects  will  be  confirmed.  I  cannot  sufficiently 
express  my  thanks  to  you  for  the  confidence  and  kindness 
with  which  you  have  treated  me  on  this  occasion. 

I  am,  &c.  Malmesburt. 


1796.]  PARIS.  267 

Oct.  15,  1796. — Left  London  at  one.    Rode  to  Cobham. 


Oct.  1 6. — Dover.     Dine  with  j\Irs.  Knatchbull,  General 
Greenfield,  Lord  Downe,  Trevanion,  Mr.  and  i\Irs.  Beering. 


Oct.  17. — Dover.     Kept  by  contrary  wind.     Our  flag 
of  truce  Captain  Ratcliff. 


Oct.  18. — Left  Dover  at  ten.  Three  cheers.  27th  Ven- 
demiaire — at  Calais  by  three — most  attentively  received. 
Municipality — what  they  said — give  them  the  list  of  my 
suite.  Directeur  de  la  Douane,  Pigot  JMonbaillard.  Com- 
misaire  du  Pouvoir  Executif — his  speech.  L'Etat  Major 
de  la  place — headed  by  their  Commandant,  Trontines — ^liis 
civility.  Directeur  de  la  Douane  again.  All  equally  civil 
and  fuD  of  egards,  giving  me  the  highest  titles,  and  all 
praying  for  peace.     Sent  on  six  persons. 


Oct.  19. — Calais. — Pieturned  Pigot  Monbaillard's  and 
Trontines'  visits.  First  expecting  us — very  affectedly  civil 
— second  a  plain  soldier.    Pteport  of  an  intended  invasion. 

Bill  dear  at  Calais.  Lion  d' Argent — Landlord  du  Crocq 

very  republican,  yet  very  civil.  Left  Calais  at  twelve — 
got  to  Boulogne  by  five.  Passport  examined.  Women 
and  children  follow.  Several  persons  on  the  road  cry 
for  peace.  I  mentioned  at  Calais  that  my  title  on  the 
passport  was  Envoy  Extraordinary ;  it  ought  to  have  been 
Minister  Plenipotentiary.  I  asked  whether  any  order 
had  been  given  to  let  my  couriers  pass.  He  said  none, 
but  that  he  thought  they  should.  Doubts  still  about  the 
departure  of  the  flag  of  truce.  I  foresee  they  will  not  let 
it  go.     Got  to  Boulogne  at  half-past  four. 


Oct.  20 — Inn  at  Boulogne — kept  by  a  Mrs.  Knowles 
and  Parker,  but  they  in  the  Conciergerie  eighteen  months 


2G8  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [WJG. 

— maid  and  grand-daughter  left  in  charge  of  the  house. 
Good  town  and  decent  people — town  more  populous  than 
Calais.  I  had  a  cordial  harangue  from  a  very  fat  pois- 
sarde.  Troops  at  St.  Valery.  Gun-boats  on  a  new  con- 
struction in  Boulogne.  Twenty-five  men,  two  twenty- 
four  pounders,  and  two  horses — to  slip  out  on  rollers. 
Roads  good — many  women  and  children, — no  men.  Lands 
well  cultivated.  Asses  used  in  the  plough.  Abbeville 
deserted — many  houses  shut.  Cathedral  destroyed.  Pos- 
tilions quiet,  neither  talking  nor  asking  for  money.  Got 
in  ten  hours  from  Boulogne  to  Abbeville — nine  posts  and 
a  half.  Inn,  Tcte  de  Boeuf.  Visit  from  the  Com- 
mandant du  Civil,  Citoyen  Plaidant ;  his  speech.  Came 
while  at  dinner,  accompanied  by  Commandant  Militaire, 
a  little  man,  and  Commandant  du  Genie,— le  seul  qui 
paroissoit  en  avoir. 


Oct.  21. — Left  Abbeville  at  a  quarter  before  seven — 
got  to  Clermont  at  a  quarter  after  seven.  Dined  at  Bret- 
euil,  (i  I'Auge — moderate  inn.  Amiens  less  deserted 
than  Abbeville.  Quarrel  between  two  women  about 
begging.  Children's  songs  on  the  road  disapproved  by 
the  post-boys.  Met  more  carriages  to-day  than  the  two 
others,  but  still  an  appearance  of  decreased  population. 
People  all  civil,  and  more  decorous  than  before.  Culti- 
vation nowhere  neglected.  Woods  cut  down,  but  appa- 
rently regularly,  except  that  the  poor  people  seem  to  cut 
green  underwood  at  will.  The  post  gives  way  to  war/r/ons 
and  carts.  Churches  everywhere  in  part,  or  in  the  whole 
destroyed.  Also  some  chateaux,  but  not  all.  Small 
children  and  women  at  work  in  the  fields.  An  evident 
scarcity  of  men.  Inn  at  Clermont  Le  Cygne — moderate 
— good  beds. 

Saturday,  Oct.  22. — Left  Clermont  at  a  quarter  to 
eight — got  to  Paris  before  three.  At  Evreux,  (a  post  on 
the  English  side  of  St.  Denis,)  a  dei)utation  from  tlie  Pois- 
sardes,  and  another  from  the  Musi<f/e  et  Tambours  du  IH- 
rectoir^e  (as  they  styled  themselves).     They  opened  the 


179G.]  PARIS.  2G9 

carriage  doors ;  the  Poissardes  made  a  speech  in  their  way, 
gave  me  nosegays  " en  attendant  des  lawiers"  as  they 
said,  and  ended  by  embracing  me  and  my  companion. 
The  musicians  were  equally  violent,  but  both  ended  by 
asking  for  money.  Found  at  St.  Denis  a  note  from  Perrc- 
geaux* — he  has  taken  lodgings  at  I'Hotel  de  Chatillon. 
Nothing  particular  on  coming  into  Paris.  All  quiet. 
Good  dinner.     Saw  Perregaux.     Sent  Ross  to  Delacroix. 


LETTER  FROM  LORD  MALMESBURY  TO  LORD  GRENYILLE. 

Paris,  23icl  Oct.,  1796.     Sunday,  9  p.m. 

My  dear  Lord, — I  hope  that  I  have  proceeded  thus 
far  on  my  Mission  without  mistake  or  blunder ;  but  I 
confess  I  have  the  feeling  of  an  unsteady  head  on  the 
edge  of  a  high  precipice. 

I  must  intreat  of  you  not  to  be  disappointed  if  I  do 
not  send  you  early  intelligence  as  to  the  state  and  temper 
of  this  country.  You  may  rely  on  my  being  most  assi- 
duous to  obtain  safe  and  accurate  information,  but  with- 
out being  on  the  spot  it  is  difficult  to  form  an  idea  how 
impossible  it  is  to  select  the  true  from  the  false.  If  I 
was  absolutely  compelled  to  give  an  opinion,  I  should  say 
the  negotiation  would  go  on,  but  I  should  be  sorry  to  be 
bound  by  such  an  opinion. 

The  wearing  of  the  national  cockade  is  so  universal  in 
the  streets,  and  so  unpleasantly  enforced  by  the  populace, 
that  it  is  impossible  to  appear  in  them  without  it  ;  the 
Government  by  no  means  insists  upon  it,  and  certainly  it 
never  shall  be  worn  by  any  persons  belonging  to  me,  when 
I  am  acting  in  an  afficial  capacity  ;  but  it  would  inevit- 
ably make  them  and  me  liable  to  the  most  disagreeable 
species  of  insult,  were  they  not  to  put  it  on  when  they 
walk  out  in  a  morning. 

The  weakness  of  this  Government,  when  opposed  to 
the  temper  of  the  people,  is  such,  that  were  such  an  event 


*  The  banker  ;    his  house   once   belonged  to   the   famous   dancer  and 
courtezan,  La  Guimard. 


270  DIARIES   AND    CORRESPONDENCE.  [l7CG. 

to  happen,  it  would  not  be  in  their  power  to  give  me 
satisfactory  redress  ;  and  I  trust  I  do  not  judge  wrong  in 
supposing  that,  bj  exposing  myself  to  it,  much  more 
serious  and  degrading  consequences  might  be  produced, 
than  by  the  simply  conforming  to  a  general  usage,  pre- 
scribed by  popular  custom,  and  not  at  all  dictated  by  the 
Government. 

From  my  receiving  so  early  an  answer  from  M.  Dela- 
croix, it  is  evident  they  are  in  a  hurry  either  to  begin 
the  negotiation,  or  to  send  me  from  Paris. 

I  have,  &c.  Malmesbury. 


DESrATCII    FROM    LORD    MALMESBURY    TO   LORD    GRENVILLE. 

Paris,  231(1  Oct.,  1796. 

My  Lord, — I  had  the  honour  of  informing  your  Lord- 
ship on  Wednesday  last  of  my  landing  at  Calais,  and  that 
my  reception  there  was  in  every  respect  one  with  which 
I  had  reason  to  be  satisfied.  Immediately  on  my  arrival 
there  I  was  waited  upon  by  the  principal  officers  of  the 
Municipality,  by  the  Commissary  of  the  Executive  Power, 
by  the  Commandant  of  the  place,  and  the  Etat  Major  of 
the  garrison,  and  by  the  Director  of  the  Customs.  They 
were  all  equally  civil,  none  of  them  using  any  of  the  new 
modes  of  address,  and  all  of  them  very  strongly  express- 
ing their  earnest  wishes  for  the  restoration  of  peace. 

I  left  Calais  on  Wednesday  at  noon,  and  arrived  here 
yesterday  at  three  p.  m.  I  could  indeed  have  got  here  on 
Friday  evening,  but  in  that  case  I  should  have  found  no 
apartments  provided  for  me,  I  slept  at  Boulogne,  at 
Abbeville,  and  at  Clermont.  At  Abbeville,  the  Com- 
mandant clu  Civil,  (as  he  termed  himself,)  with  the  military 
commanders,  waited  upon  me,  and  in  a  very  laboured 
speech  expressed  every  civility  he  could  devise,  and  his 
hopes  that  my  Mission  would  terminate  successfully. 
Such  also,  as  far  as  could  be  collected  from  the  few  words 
I  heard  casually  drop  from  the  people,  as  I  passed  through 
the  towns  and  villages,  seemed  to  be  the  general  senti- 
ment ;  but,  whether  it  is  or  not,  no  conclusion  whatever 


1796.]  PARIS.  271 

should  be  drawn  from  it.  At  Ecouen,  a  deputation  from 
the  Poissardes  of  Paris,  and  another  from  the  National 
Music  (to  use  their  own  method  of  styling  themselves) 
met  me.  The  first  opened  the  carriage  doors  while  I 
was  changing  horses,  got  into  the  coach,  made  me  an 
harangue  in  their  style,  presented  me  with  nosegays,  and 
insisted  on  embracing  me  and  my  companions.  They  and 
the  musical  deputation  vied  with  each  other  in  their 
wishes  for  my  success,  but  as  they  both  ended  by  asking 
for  money,  their  sincerity  may  justly  be  called  in  ques- 
tion. 

My  coming  into  Paris  was  attended  with  nothing 
remarkable  ;  I  was  suffered  to  drive  very  quietly  through 
the  streets  to  my  hotel,  and  have  been  allowed  to  remain 
very  quietly  in  it  since  my  arrival. 

The  roads  were,  the  whole  of  the  way,  in  tolerably 
good  repair ;  the  country  from  Calais  hither  appeared 
to  be  in  a  state  of  high  cultivation,  and  every  part  of  the 
farming  business  belonging  to  this  season,  was  either  com- 
pleted or  going  on.  Most  of  the  ploughs  had  horses  to 
them,  but  some  were  drawn  by  asses,  several  of  them  were 
driven  by  women,  and  nearly  all  of  them  by  old  men  or 
boys.  It  was  indeed  evident  that  the  male  population  is 
diminished,  as  the  number  of  women  we  saw  on  the  road 
certainly  exceeded  that  of  the  men  in  the  proportion  of 
four  to  one.  The  most  striking  change  to  me  was  the 
silence  which  seemed  to  prevail.  No  noise  at  the  post- 
houses  on  changing  horses ;  none  by  the  post-boys  while 
they  were  driving,  and  an  universal  stillness  seemed  to 
pervade  the  whole  country  ;  but  it  did  not  seem  to  be  the 
placid  quiet  arising  from  content  and  repose,  but  the 
effect  which  terror  and  perpetual  fear  had  produced  on 
their  minds. 

These  are  the  only  remarks  I  can  venture  to  make  in 
so  short  a  view  of  France,  and  when,  as  your  Lordship  will 
perceive  from  my  other  despatch,  every  moment  of  my 
time  since  my  arrival  has  been  filled  by  attending  to 
the  duties  of  the  very  important  Mission  with  which  His 
Majesty  has  been  pleased  to  intrust  me. 

There  were  very  few  troops  in  any  of  the  towns  througli 


272  DIARIES   AND    CORUESPONDENCE.  [1796. 

wliicli  we  passed,  not  even  in  Calais,  neither  during  the 
whole  route  did  we  meet  with  any  soldiers  on  the  march. 
Nothing  but  the  walls  were  remaining  of  the  churches 
in  most  of  the  villages,  and  those  of  the  Cathedral  at 
Amiens,  and  the  principal  church  at  Abbeville,  were  nearly 
destroyed.  Over  the  door  of  several  of  them  was  written. 
Temple  de  la  Raison,  and  afterwards  "  Le  Peuple  Fran- 
fciis  reconnait  LEtre  Supreme  et  VImmortalite  de 
VAmef  and  at  the  entrance  of  the  small  towns  near 
Paris,  was  written,  in  large  characters  on  the  walls, 
"  Citoijens,  respectez  les  propr'iHes  et  les  Mens  d'autrui ; 
Us  sont  le  fruit  de  ses  tirwaux  et  de  son  Industrie." 

I  have,  &c.  Malmesbury. 


LETTER  FROM  LORD  MALMESBURY  TO  LORD  GRENVILLE. 

Paris,  231(1  Oct.,  1796. 

My  Lord, — About  an  hour  after  my  arrival  at  Paris 
yesterday,  I  sent,  according  to  your  Lordship's  directions, 
my  secretary  Mr.  Ross,  to  notify  my  arrival  to  M.  Dela- 
croix, Minister  for  Foreign  Afiairs.  Although  I  had  the 
fullest  confidence  that  ]\Ir.  Ross  would  execute  this 
commission  with  the  greatest  exactness  and  propriety  ; 
yet,  as  it  was  one  of  the  last  importance  that  not  the 
smallest  deviation  should  be  made  from  the  spirit  of  my 
instructions,  and  that  it  should  be  distinctly  ascertained 
in  what  manner  this  first  step  in  my  Mission  had  been 
taken,  I  gave  to  ]\Ir.  Ross  the  enclosed  note  (A)  for  M. 
Delacroix.  Mr.  Ross  was  received  in  every  respect 
(according  to  his  report,  on  which  I  can  thoroughly 
depend,)  in  the  same  way  as  he  has  been  before  received 
by  the  Ministers  for  Foreign  Afiairs  at  other  Courts  to 
whom  I  have  frequently  been  obliged  to  send  him  on 
similar  occasions.  Mr.  Ross,  in  about  half  an  hour, 
brought  me  the  answer  (B,)  to  which  I  immediately  sent 
the  answer  (C).'" 

I  myself  went  to  ]\L  Delacroix  at  the  hour  appointed 

*  Tlicse  iuclosuios    arc    merely  formal    notes  to  ask  lor  and  appoint  n 
meeting  between  the  Plenipotentiaries. 


1796]  PARIS.  273 

this  morning.  He  received  me,  also,  as  I  had  always  been 
received  under  the  same  circumstances  ;  gave  me  the  upper 
place  in  the  room,  and  affected  neither  to  use  nor  require 
any  of  the  terms  introduced  into  the  French  language 
since  the  Revolution. 

I  began  by  putting  into  his  hands  your  Lordship's 
letter,"'^'  desiring  him  to  read  it,  which  he  did.  I  then 
claimed  the  enjoyment  of  all  the  rights,  prerogatives, 
franchises,  and  liberties,  belonging  to  persons  invested 
with  a  public  character,  according  to  the  usual  practice, 
and  also  the  right  of  receiving  and  despatching  mes- 
sengers. All  this  was  assented  to  without  difficulty  ; 
but  some  arose  on  my  mentioning  to  him,  that  I  had 
found  an  embargo  laid  on  at  Calais,  which,  I  apprehended, 
was  not  yet  taken  off.  After  representing  to  him  that  it 
was  perfectly  useless  to  send  my  messenger  from  hence 
if  he  was  to  be  stopped  at  the  ports,  and  it  being  impossi- 
ble for  him  not  to  admit  this,  he  said  he  would  speak  to  the 
Directory  ;  and  if  any  demur  should  arise  on  that  point, 
your  Lordship  shall  hear  of  it  in  a  separate  despatch. 

After  having  gone  through  these  points,  I  gave  him  a 
copy  of  my  full  powers,  which  he  immediately  read ;  the 
only  observation  he  made  on  them  was,  that  he  perceived 
they  were  not  addressed  to  the  Directory.  I  explained  to 
him  the  reason,  and  what  had  been  the  uniform  practice  on 
similar  occasions ;  with  this  he  seemed  satisfied,  but  said 
he  must  lay  them  before  the  Directory,  adding,  however, 
that  he  could  promise  that  no  objection  with  respect  to 
form  or  etiquette  would  arise  on  their  part  to  prevent  the 
opening  of  a  negotiation. 

I  then  said  the  only  thing  which  could  be  said  at  this 
early  period  of  the  business,  viz.,  that  His  JMajest}"  was 
most  sincere  in  his  wish  for  the  restoration  of  a  general 
peace  ;  to  this  ]\I.  Delacroix  replied  in  precisely  these 
words  :  "  Je  peux  aussi  vous  assurer,  Milord,  que  7noi, 
et  tons  ceux  qui  composent  le  Gouvernement  Fran^ais, 
desirons  hien  sincerement  de  rendre  la  tranquillity  a 
notre  trop  malheureuse  patrie,  qui  a  tant  souffert  par  ses 
ennemis,  tant  du  dehot^s  que  du  dedans. 

*  Vide,  page  262. 
VOL.  III.  T 


274  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [1790. 

I  ended  my  conference  by  asking  him  whether  I  could 
hope  that  I  should  soon  receive  from  him  a  copy  of  the 
full  powers  given  to  the  person  appointed  to  treat  with 
me.  He  replied  he  could  not  with  any  degree  of  authority 
answer  me,  as  to  the  time,  till  he  had  taken  the  orders  of 
the  Directory.  He  said,  "  You  know  we  have  our  Allies," 
and  seemed  to  infer  that  it  would  be  necessary  to  consult 
with  their  Ministers.  I  was  not  displeased  to  hear  this 
word  in  his  mouth,  and  I  immediately  added,  "  His  Ma- 
jesty also  had  his  Allies,  towards  whom  His  Majesty  in- 
tended most  religiously  to  fulfil  all  his  engagements."  To 
this  no  reply  was  made  ;  I  took  leave,  and  M.  Delacroix, 
as  is  usual,  conducted  me  to  the  door  of  the  first  ante- 
chamber. 

It  is,  I  am  sure,  unnecessary  to  premise  to  your  Lord- 
ship, that  it  is  not  safe  to  form  any  judgment  whatever 
as  to  the  probable  progress,  much  less  as  to  the  event  of 
the  Negotiation,  from  what  passed  in  this  conference,  as 
the  French  Minister  reserved  the  approbation  of  the 
Directory  as  a  condition  which  attached  to  almost  every 
word  he  said.  His  only  jDOsitive  assurance  was  that  which 
I  have  written  in  French ;  there  cannot,  however,  be  a 
doubt  but  that  he  was  ordered  to  receive  and  treat  me  in 
the  manner  he  did,  which  I  must  in  justice  repeat  (and 
I  was  most  watchful  it  should  be  so)  was  unexceptionable, 
and  precisely  the  same  as  I  have  experienced  so  many 
times  at  the  opening  of  negotiations  with  which  I  have 
been  charged. 

I  am  the  more  certain  that  he  acted  from  directions,  as 
his  common  behaviour  is  reputed  to  be  coarse  and  repel- 
ling ;  whereas,  towards  me  it  was  grave  indeed,  and 
serious,  but  perfectly  civil  and  well-bred. 

I  went  to  him  dressed  in  His  Majesty's  uniform  ;  he 
appeared  to  have  taken  as  much  pains  to  be  well  dressed 
as  a  man  at  his  time  of  life,  and  in  the  present  fashion  of 
this  country,  could  do. 

M.  Delacroix  appears  to  be  about  fifty-five,  of  a  very 
grave  look,  speaking  rather  slow  and  very  little,  listening 
with  attention  and  answering  correctly. 

I  should  not,  at  any  other  time,  have  introduced  these 


1796.]  PARIS.  275 

trifling  remarks  into  a  pulblic  despatch,  but  the  particular 
circumstances  of  my  Mission  authorize  me  to  do  it, 

I  shall,  in  a  very  few  days  despatch  another  messenger  ; 
but  some  time  must  yet  pass  before  I  can  presume  to  say 
anything  as  to  what  I  may  suppose  to  be  the  real  dispo- 
sition and  true  situation  of  this  country  and  its  present 
Government,  which  appears  to  me  to  be  so  complicated, 
both  as  to  the  description  of  the  different  parties,  as  to 
their  temper,  power,  and  designs,  that  I  ever  shall  speak 
of  it  with  diffidence,  and  under  the  greatest  apprehension 
of  misleading  your  Lordship. 

I  have  this  moment  (11  p.m.)  received  a  passport  for 
Wiffen,  and  an  order  that  the  embargo  should  be  taken  off" 
at  Calais  for  a  vessel  to  carry  him  over  to  Dover, 

I  have  at  the  same  time  received  a  note  from  M.  Dela- 
croix, a  copy  of  which  I  enclose  together  with  my  answer. 
The  title  of  Commissioner  given  me  appears  to  be  a  literal 
translation  from  the  Latin  word  used  in  my  full  powers  ; 
and,  although  I  have  not  adopted  it  in  my  answer,  yet,  as 
it  is  a  word  by  no  means  novel  in  diplomatic  language,  I 
do  not  see  any  reason  for  its  being  objected  to. 

I  am  happy  to  have  received  this  answer  before  Wiffen 
sets  out,  as  your  Lordship  may  now  nearly  guess  to  a  cer- 
tainty when  to  expect  another  messenger  from  me. 

I  am,  &c.  Malmesbury. 


INCLOSURE. 


Le  Ministre  des  Relations  Exterieures  a  I'honneur  de 
prevenir  le  Lord  Malmesbury,  Commissaire  Plenipoten- 
tiaire  de  Sa  Majeste  Britannique,  qu'il  a  re^u  du  Direc- 
toire  Executif  les  pouvoirs  necessaires  pour  n^gocier  et 
conclure  la  paix  entre  la  Republique  et  Sa  Majeste.  Des 
demain,  si  le  Lord  Malmesbury  le  desire,  les  pouvoirs 
respectifs  seront  echanges.  Le  Ministre  de  Relations 
Exterieures  sera  pr^t  ensuite  a  recevoir  les  propositions 
que  le  Lord  Malmesbury  est  charg6  de  faire  a  la  Repub- 
lique de  la  part  de  Sa  Majeste  Britannique. 

T    2 


276  DIARIES  AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [l796. 

Le  Ministre  des  Relations  Exterieures  prie  le  Lord 
Malmesbury  d'agr^er  les  assurances  de  sa  haute  con- 
sideration. 

(Sign6)  Ch.  Delacroix. 

Ce  2  Brumaire,  an  5. 


Sunday,  Oct.  23.— At  11  with  Delacroix  bj  appoint- 
ment— no  deficiency  on  his  part  in  point  of  civility  or 
etiquette.  Poissardes  again  at  my  carriage-door  as  I  went 
out  of  the  hotel.  Wrote  the  rest  of  the  day,  and  de- 
spatched WifFen  at  midnight. 


Monday,  Oct  24.  —  \Yith  Delacroix — began  our  con- 
ferences, &c.  Walked  from  two  till  four.  Paris  little 
altered,  except  fewer  carriages  and  fewer  well-dressed 
men — the  women,  on  the  contrary,  much  dressed,  and  all 
on  foot  with  dark-coloured  stockings.  Called  on  Perre- 
gaux,  and  on  the  Portuguese  Minister.  He  and  the  Nea- 
politan Prince,  Belmonte  Pignatelli,  called  on  me  in  the 
evening.  Portuguese  a  philosopher  and  republican.  The 
Neapolitan  a  clever  and  apparently  well-intentioned  man. 
He  communicated  to  me  his  Treaty,  which  he  said  he  had 
brought  to  bear  by  seeing  Carnot,  Rewbel,  and  Reveilli^re 
De  le  Peaux  in  private,  and  particularly  Carnot.  He  re- 
commended me  to  call  on  them.  A  Mr.  Potter  called  on 
me  in  the  morning — avec  des  projets  insenses. 


Tuesday,  Oct.  25.  —  Writing.  Walk.  Play  in  the 
evening.  Le  Glorieux,  and  le  Bourru  bienfaisant.  Milot 
acted.  Theatre  tolerably  pretty  —  boxes  good.  "  Ci- 
toyens  ne  faites  pas  des  compliments,"  said  the  sentinel 
on  our  getting  into  the  carriage. 


179(3.]  PARIS.  277 


EXTRACTS    OF    A    DESPATCH    FROM    LORD    MALMESBURY   TO 

LORD    GRENVILLE. 

Paris,  Oct,  27th,  1796,  at  midnight. 

I  INFORMED  your  Lordship  in  my  last  that,  at  the  mo- 
ment when  I  was  closing  my  despatches  for  WifFen  to 
carry  to  England,  I  received  a  note  from  M.  Delacroix, 
saying,  that  he  was  authorized  by  the  Executive  Direc- 
tory to  treat  with  me  as  His  Majesty's  Minister  Plenipo- 
tentiary, and  would  be  ready  to  see  me  the  next  morn^ 

I  went  to  him  by  my  own  appointment  at  half-past 
eleven  on  Monday,  October  24,  He  immediately  commu- 
nicated to  me  the  original  of  his  full  powers,  a  copy  of 
which  I  enclose,  I  read  them  -with  the  utmost  attention, 
and  notwithstanding  they  appeared  to  me  quite  unex- 
ceptionable, yet  I  thought  it  right  to  remark  to  him, 
that  although  the  words  Commissaire  et  Pltnipotentiaire, 
were  a  literal  translation  of  Commissarium  et  Plenipo- 
tentiarum,  yet  the  character  and  title  I  intended  to 
assume  here  was  that  of  Minister  Plenipotentiary.  He 
said  it  was  undoubtedly  understood  so  by  the  Directory, 
and  that  nothing  was  meant  by  the  word  Commissaire, 
but  to  conform  strictly  to  the  Latin  title  given  me  in  my 
full  powers.  And  I  could  not  indeed  pretend  to  say  that 
this  expression  would  admit  of  any  other  construction. 
I,  however,  laid  in  the  strongest  protest  against  its  being 
considered  as  at  all  inferior  to  that  of  Minister,  and  to 
this  M.  Delacroix  assented  in  the  fullest  extent. 

I  then  gave  him  a  copy  of  my  full  powers  certified  by 
me  to  be  a  true  copy,  and  asked  from  him  one  of  his 
certified  in  the  like  manner;  and  we  reserved  to  ourselves, 
as  is  the  usual  practice,  the  formal  exchange,  till  such 
time  as  the  articles  of  the  treaty  shall  be  agreed  on  and 
ready  for  signature. 

I  had  brought  my  secretary  with  me  in  order  to  pro- 
duce the  original  full  power,  but  M,  Delacroix  did  not 
require  to  see  it. 

This  ceremony  performed,  in  which  I  hope  nothing  has 


278  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [l796. 

been  omitted  or  allowed  which  can  at  all  commit  His 
Majesty's  dignity,  or  the  character  with  wliich  I  am  in- 
vested, I  opened  the  conference  by  refemng  to  the  words 
I  had  used  the  preceding  day,  and  said,  that  I  should 
now  be  able  to  prove  that  I  had  not  asserted  too  much, 
when  I  had  affirmed  that  my  Royal  Master  was  most  sin- 
cere in  his  wishes  to  restore  the  present  tranquillity  of 
Europe,  and  to  insure  its  stability  by  a  general  pacifica- 
tion. I  expatiated  on  this  point  some  time  before  I  gave 
him  the  Memorial  I  received  from  your  Lordship,  and  I 
endeavoured  not  to  forget  any  circumstance  which  could 
tend  to  shew  the  just  and  equitable  nature  of  the  pro- 
posal there  made,  or  impress  his  mind  with  the  convic- 
tion that  its  adoption  on  the  part  of  all  the  Belligerent 
Powers,  (France  not  excepted,)  would  be  the  simplest  and 
most  advantageous  method  of  attaining  what  must  neces- 
sarily be  the  ultimate  object  of  their  wishes. 

M.  Delacroix,  after  reading  the  Memorial  aloud,  said 
it  was  of  so  important  a  nature,  that  he  could  not  take 
upon  himself  to  give  me  an  official  answer  to  it  before  it 
had  been  communicated  to  the  Executive  Directory.  He 
could  not,  however,  conceal  from  me  that  it  did  not  ap- 
pear to  contain  any  proposal  sufficiently  distinct  or  spe- 
cific, that  it  was  too  vague  in  its  expressions,  and  that 
he  thought  the  answer  given  to  ]\Ir,  Wickham's'"'  note  of 
the  8  th  of  ]\Iay  last,  would  apply  perfectly  to  it. 

I  begged  him  to  read  again  and  re-consider  the  Memo- 
rial, and  to  call  correctly  to  his  recollection  the  paper  to 
which  he  referred,  and  I  was  persuaded  that  he  would 
then  perceive  how  little  justified  he  was  in  both  his  ob- 
servations. 

]\Ir.  Wickham's  note  went  simply  to  inquire  what  were 
at  that  time  the  sentiments  of  France,  relative  to  a 
pacific  negotiation.  This  Memorial,  he  must  allow  me 
to  say,  made  a  direct  proposal  of  the  general  basis  of  a 
negotiation  and  it  was  impossible  not  to  perceive  that  a 

*  British  Minister  at  Switzerland.  He  had  been  directed  to  sound  the 
disposition  of  the  French  Government  tliroiigli  their  ]\Iinistcr,  ]\Ions.  Bar- 
thelcnii,  and  to  sug-gest  a  European  Congress  for  the  pur])osc  of  etfecting  a 
general  pacification.  The  Directory  rejected  the  proposal,  and  published 
the  correspondence. 


1796.]  PARIS.  279 

positive  assurance  was  conveyed  in  it,  to  enter  into  more 
specific  terms  whenever  the  principle  there  laid  down 
should  be  admitted  by  France.  That  although  the 
future  application  of  this  principle  was  of  course  left 
open  and  indefinite,  yet  it  was  distinct  and  specific  in 
itself,  and  it  appeared  beyond  a  possibility  of  miscon- 
struction in  what  mode  His  Majesty  was  disposed  to 
restore  peace,  and  to  secure  by  it  the  interests  of  his  own 
kingdoms,  of  his  allies,  and  of  Europe  in  general. 

M.  Delacroix  said,  rather  abruptly.  Do  you  mean  the 
status  quo  ante  helium,  or  the  uti  possidetis  f  I  said  it 
was  too  soon  to  reply  to  this  question  ;  but  probably 
neither  would  be  admitted,  but  under  modifications.  He 
desired  me  to  define  what  I  meant  by  the  word  modifica- 
tions. I  answered,  the  sense  it  conveyed  was  not  equi- 
vocal, and  I  meant  by  using  it,  only  to  repeat  what  was 
stated  in  the  Memorial  as  to  His  Majesty's  intentions  of 
employing  the  effects  of  his  successes  during  this  war,  in 
compensating  France  for  restitutions  of  such  of  her  con- 
quests on  the  Continent  as  may  be  necessary  to  satisfy 
the  just  claims  of  His  Majesty's  allies,  and  to  preserve  the 
political  balance  of  Europe.  ^ 

M.  Delacroix,  after  a  little  further  argument,  carried 
on,  however,  in  a  very  civil  and  cordial  manner,  admitted 
in  some  degree  the  truth  of  what  I  said  ;  but  on  turning 
again  to  the  Memorial,  and  reading  the  words  "  Le  succes 
non  interrompu,'"  '■'  &c.,  he  broke  out  in  what  I  really  can 
express  in  no  other  words,  but  a  republican  rant.  His 
object  seemed  to  be  to  overcome  me  by  declamation,  and 
by  a  string  of  pompous  and  prepared  phrases,  to  prove 
that  France  was  the  most  powerful  nation  in  the  world,  and 
disposed  to  be  the  most  moderate  in  the  use  of  its  power. 
But  though  his  voice  was  loud,  and  his  manner  theatrical, 
yet  as  he  said  nothing  ofi"ensive,  either  to  my  Court  or  to  my 
public  character,  I  heard  him  with  the  greatest  composure 
and  patience  ;  and  when  he  had  finished,  contented  my- 
self by  saying,  he  talked  his  own  language  so  eloquently, 
and  so  much  better  than  I  could  be  expected  to  do,  that  it 
was  not  in  my  power  to  reply  to  him  in  the  same  style. 

*   Vide,  Memorial,  page  261.  / 


280  DIARIES   AND    CORRESPONDENCE.  [l706. 

That  I,  however,  by  no  means  disapproved  his  using  this 
style,  as  it  was  the  substance  of  what  he  sj)oke,  and  not 
the  words  in  which  it  was  conveyed,  which  it  was  my 
duty  to  report ;  that  every  country  knew  how  to  appreciate 
its  own  power,  and  to  compare  it  with  that  of  other  nations. 
But  I  conceived  this  point  to  be  perfectly  foreign  to  the 
main  object  of  our  conference,  and  one  on  which  it  was 
neither  probable  nor  essential  that  our  ideas  should  meet. 
M.  Delacroix,  (who,  although  he  spoke  with  eagerness, 
had  never  lost  his  temper,)  immediately  resumed  the 
subject.  He  said  that  any  further  observations  on  his  part 
would  be  perfectly  useless  till  he  had  laid  the  ]\Iemo- 
rial  before  the  Directory,  unless  I  was  prepared  on  my 
part  to  be  more  explicit,  and  to  tell  him,  whether  we 
meant  the  French  Republic  should  annul  any  of  the 
treaties  of  peace  it  had  already  made  with  several  of  the 
German  Princes,  or  give  up  the  conquests  it  had  by  an 
act  of  the  Constitution  united  to  its  territory,  because  the 
proposal  in  the  Memorial  seemed  to  go  to  both  these 
points.  I  told  him  that  my  instructions  went  no  further 
than  to  say,  that  His  Majesty  was  ready  to  enter  into  a 
negotiation  for  peace,  in  the  mode  stated  in  the  Memorial, 
provided  that  this  principle  be  first  admitted,  viz.,  that 
this  peace  should  be  combined  with  that  of  Europe  in 
general,  and  of  His  Majesty's  allies  in  particular;  and  that 
in  every  period  of  the  negotiation,  constant  reference 
should  be  had  to  the  manner  in  which  the  affairs  and  in- 
terests of  the  Continent  were  to  be  arranged,  and  espe- 
cially the  fullest  attention  paid  to  those  of  His  Majesty's 
good  and  faithful  ally  the  Emperor.  This  naturally  led 
M.  Delacroix  to  inquire  wlicther  the  Court  of  Vienna 
concurred  in  this  measure.  I  re})licd,  no  part  of  it  was 
concealed  from  that  Court,  and  that  I  should  demand  a 
passport  for  a  messenger  to  go  to  Vienna,  as  soon  as  I 
knew  the  manner  in  which  His  JMajesty's  proposals  were 
received  by  the  Executive  Directory.  ]\I.  Delacroix  said, 
"  How  are  we  to  expect  a  general  peace,  when  we  hear 
every  da}'  that  the  Emperor  is  determined  to  carry  on  the 
war  ;  and  when  it  is  to  be  inferred  from  dates,  that  he 
must  be  unac(iuainted  with  your  Missit)n  here  ?"    I  replied 


1796.]  PARIS.  281 

that  this  was  a  remark,  which,  although  it  was  very  na- 
tural for  him  to  make,  was  so  irrelevant  to  the  question 
before  us,  that  I  was  sure  he  would  not  expect  me  to  enter 
into  any  discussion  upon  it.  That  it  was  sufficient  for 
every  present  purpose  to  know  that  His  ]\lajesty's  inten- 
tion was  to  combine  the  interests  of  his  allies,  and  the 
future  security  of  Europe  in  general  with  those  of  his  own 
kingdoms,  and  tliat  the  end  His  Majesty  so  seriously 
wished  to  obtain  could  not  be  produced,  if  any  other 
mode  of  negotiation  were  required. 

JM.  Delacroix  here  said,  what  he  appeared  to  have  been 
watching  during  the  whole  of  our  conference  for  an  oppor- 
tunity to  bring  in,  and  observed  to  me,  that  he  believed  it 
would  be  much  easier  to  make  a  separate  peace  between 
England  and  France,  than  to  undertake  at  once  a  general 
pacification.  Without  entering  into  the  merits  of  this 
question,  I  replied,  that  I  was  perfectly  sure  no  such  pro- 
posal would  be  listened  to  by  His  Majesty,  and  that  he 
(M.  Delacroix)  himself  had  pronounced  on  the  impropri- 
ety of  it,  by  mentioning  in  his  conversation  of  yesterday 
the  allies  of  France,  and  the  intentions  of  the  Directory  to 
support  them. 

M.  Delacroix  pressed  this  point  no  further,  and  altliough 
in  speaking  of  the  allies  of  France,  he  manifestly  had 
alluded  to  Spain  as  well  as  to  Holland,  yet  he  did  not 
choose  to  particularize  it.  I  thought  it  premature  to  at- 
tempt drawing  from  him  any  of  his  views  with  respect  to 
that  Power,  being  fully  persuaded  that  a  more  advanta- 
geous opportunity  must  offer  in  the  course  of  the  nogotia- 
tion  for  obeying  my  instructions  on  this  head.  He  ended 
the  conference  by  repeating  that  he  would  lay  the  i\Iemorial 
before  the  Directory,  and  let  me  know  whenever  they 
authorized  him  to  make  anauswer  ;  that  he  was  much 
afraid  that  what  struck  him  on  this  cursory  view,  would 
strike  them  more  forcibly  on  an  attentive  perusal  of  it, 
and  consequently  that  it  would  not  lead  to  the  restoration 
of  that  general  tranquillity  which  was  so  much  the  object 
of  our  joint  wishes. 

Yesterday  (Wednesday),  at  about  ten  in  the  evening, 
M.  Guiraudet,  Secretary  General  to  the  Foreign  Depart- 


282  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [l796. 

ment,  called  upon  me,  with  a  letter  from  M.  Delacroix, 
directed  to  me  as  His  Majesty's  Minister  Plenipotentiary. 

M.  Guiraudet  informed  me,  that  he  had  M.  Delacroix's 
orders  to  bring  me  the  resolution  of  the  Executive  Direc- 
tory in  answer  to  the  Memorial  I  had  left  with  him  on 
Monday. 

I  had  nothing  to  say  to  M.  Guiraudet,  but  to  desire 
him  to  thank  M.  Delacroix  for  the  attentive  manner  in 
which  he  had  conveyed  to  me  this  answer,  and  that  I 
would  wait  upon  him  this  morning ;  but  it  was  not  till 
four  P.M.  that  he  was  at  leisure  to  receive  me. 

I  am  just  returned  from  him :  our  conference  was  very 
short.  I  told  him  that  although  there  was  much  to  ob- 
serve on  several  parts  of  the  answer  that  the  French 
Government  had  thought  proper  to  make  to  the  Memorial 
I  had  given  in  ;  yet,  as  I  considered  it  as  my  primary 
duty  to  suppress  every  remark  I  could  consistently  with 
my  duty  suppress,  which  was  at  all  likely  to  impede  the 
progress  and  completion  of  a  measure  of  such  high  im- 
portance as  that  now  pending  between  the  two  countries, 
I  would  abstain  from  every  reflection  whatever;  and  as 
the  last  sentence  in  the  answer  did  express  a  readiness  on 
the  part  of  the  French  Republic  to  consent  to  enter  into 
a  comljined  negotiation  with  my  Royal  JMaster  for  a 
general  pacification,  I  would  pass  over  in  silence  all  the 
extraneous  matter  introduced  in  it,  which  certainly,  was 
I  disposed  to  animadvert,  would  admit  of  much  and  just 
animadversion.  I  should  content  myself  by  submitting  it 
to  my  Court,  without  troubling  him  with  any  other  obser- 
vations at  present ;  and  in  order  neither  to  mislead  my 
own  Court,  nor  that  of  Vienna,  to  which  I  should  of  course 
communicate  the  whole  of  what  had  passed,  I  should  now 
content  myself  with  asking  him  whether  by  the  words, 
"  faire  apparoitre  les  pouvoirs  sitfiscmts  des  Puissances 
Allies  de  la  Grande  Bretagne,"  anything  else  was  meant 
than  that  they  should  either  send  ministers  here  them- 
selves, or  empower  the  ministers  of  their  allies  to  act  for 
them,  lie  said.  Certainly  not ;  the  Directory  by  no 
means  pretends  to  trace  out  a  mode  of  negotiation  to 
other  Powers ;  its  only  wish  is  to  avoid  unnecessary  delay, 


1796.]  PARIS.  283 

and  particularly  that  which  would  arise  from  a  congress. 
I  observed  to  him,  I  had  never  mentioned  the  word  con- 
gress, which  generally  was  understood  to  be  a  meeting  of 
ministers  in  a  town  belonging  to  some  Neutral  Power ;  and 
that  everything  I  had  by  order  of  my  Court  proposed, 
was  evidently  proposed  with  a  view  to  negotiate  at  Paris, 
and  to  determine  the  great  question  of  peace  or  war  as 
soon  as  possible  ;  and  that  he  might  be  assured  himself, 
and  in  the  fullest  confidence  assure  the  Executive  Direc- 
tory, my  Royal  Master's  most  anxious  wish  was  to  bring 
this  point  to  a  speedy  and  clear  decision. 

M.  Delacroix  in  reply  said,  this  would  have  been 
effected  much  sooner  if  I  would  have  consented  to  treat 
for  a  separate  peace.  I  told  him  I  could  only  repeat 
what  I  had  already  so  often  enforced,  that  a  general  paci- 
fication, and  one  in  which  the  interests  of  Europe  and 
those  of  His  Majesty's  allies  were  to  be  attended  to, 
equally  with  his  own,  was  the  only  one  His  Majesty  ever 
would  consent  to  listen  to  ;  because  the  conciliation  of 
many  and  various  interests  was  evidently  necessary  to 
restore  universal  tranquillity,  and  ensure  the  political 
balance  of  power  in  Europe. 

It  remains  for  me  only  to  say,  that,  in  conformity  to 
His  Majesty's  order,  I  shall  despatch  Dressins  to  Vienna, 
at  the  same  moment  that  I  despatch  Silvester  for  Eng- 
land ;  that  I  have  written  fully  to  Sir  M.  Eden,*  and  en- 
closed to  hun  a  copy  of  my  principal  despatch  of  this  day 
to  your  Lordship,  leaving  out  of  it  only  such  parts  as 
relate  to  the  ceremonial  of  my  reception.  I  have  also  trans- 
mitted to  him  a  copy  of  the  Resolution  of  the  Directory, 
in  answer  to  the  ]\Iemorial,  and  have,  I  trust,  omitted  no- 
thing that  may  tend  to  prove  to  His  Imperial  Majesty  that 
on  this  occasion  I  am  acting  as  becomes  the  Minister  of  a 
Court  in  strict  and  faithful  alliance. 

*  Sir  Morton  Eden,  Ambassador  at  the  Court  of  Vienna. 


284  DIARIES    AND    CORRESPONDENCE.  [l796. 


EXTRAIT    DES    REGISTRES    DES     DELIBERATIONS    DU    DIRECTOIRE 

EXECUTIF. 

Paris,  le  cinq  Biumaire,  Fan  cinq  de  la  Republique  Fran^aise 
une  et  indivisible. 

Le  Directoire  Executif  charge  le  Alinistre  des  Relations 
Exterieures  de  faire  au  Lord  Malmesbury  la  reponse 
suivaute. 

Le  Directoire  Executif  voit  avec  peine  qu'au  moment 
ou  il  avoit  lieu  d'esperer  le  tr^s  prochain  retour  de  la  paix, 
entre  la  Republique  Fran^aise,  et  Sa  j\Iajeste  Britannique, 
la  proposition  de  Lord  Malmesbury  u'offre  que  des  moyens 
dilatoires  ou  tr^s  ^loignes  d'en  amener  la  conclusion. 

Le  Directoire  observe  que  si  Le  Lord  IMalmesbury  eut 
voulu  traiter  s^parement,  ainsi  qu'il  y  est  formellement 
autorise  par  la  teneur  de  ses  Lettres  de  Creance,  les 
negociations  eussent  pu  etre  considerablement  abr^g^es; 
que  la  n^cessite  de  balancer  avec  les  interets  des  deux 
Puissances,  ceux  des  Allies  de  la  Grande  Bretagne,  mul- 
tiplie  les  combinaisons,  complique  les  ditlicultes,  tend  a 
la  formation  d'un  Congr^s,  dont  on  salt  que  les  formes 
sont  toujours  lentes,  et  exige  I'accession  de  Puissances 
qui  jusqu'ici  n'ont  temoignd  aucun  d^sir  de  rapproche- 
ment, et  n'ont  donn^  au  Lord  ]\lalmesbury  lui-meme 
d'apres  sa  declaration,  aucun  pouvoir  de  stipuler  jiour 
elles.  Ainsi  sans  rien  prejuger  contre  les  intentions  du 
Lord  Malmesbury,  sans  rien  conclure  de  ce  que  sa  decla- 
ration ne  paroit  point  s'accorder  avec  les  pouvoirs  qui  lui 
sont  delegu^s  par  ses  Lettres  de  Creance,  sans  suj)poser 
qu'il  ait  re^u  des  instructions  secrettes  qui  detruiroient 
I'eifet  de  ses  pouvoirs  ostensibles,  sans  pr^tendre  enfm  que 
le  double  but  du  Gouvernement  Britannique  ait  H6 
d'ecarter  par  des  propositions  geiierales,  les  propositions 
partielles  des  autres  puissances,  et  d'ubtenir  du  pcuple 
Angiois  les  moyens  de  continuer  la  guerre,  en  rejetant 
sur  la  R6puljlique  I'odieux  d'un  retard  qu'il  auroit  n^ces- 
site  lui-meme,  Le  Directoire  Executif  ne  pent  se  dissi- 
muler  que  la  i)roposition  du  Lord  ^hilmesbury  n'est  autre 
chose,  et  seulement  sous  des  formes  plus  amicales,  que  le 


179G.]  PARIS.  285 

renouvellemeut  de  celles  qui  furent  faites  I'ann^e  demiere 
par  M.  Wickliam,  et  qii'elle  ne  preseute  qu'un  espoir 
eloign^  de  la  paix. 

Le  Directoire  Executif  observe  encore  a  I'egard  du  prin- 
cipe  des  Retrocessions  mis  en  avant  par  Le  Lord  Malmes- 
bury,  que  ce  principe  vaguement  et  isolement  pr^sente, 
ne  pent  servir  de  base  a  des  nt^gociations ;  que  Ton  doit 
considerer  avant  tout  le  besoin  commun  d'une  paix  juste 
et  solide,  I'equilibre  politique  que  des  Retrocessions  abso- 
lues  pourroient  rompre,  et  ensuite  les  mojens  que  peuvent 
avoir  les  Puissances  Bellig^rantes,  I'une  de  soutenir  des 
conquetes  faites  lorsqu'elle  etoit  appujee  par  un  grand 
nombre  d'alli^s  aujourd'hui  detaches  de  la  Coalition, 
Fautre  de  les  c6der  lorsque  celles  qui  avoient  ete  d'abord 
ses  ennemis  sont  devenues  presque  toutes  ou  ses  propres 
allies  ou  au  moins  neutres. 

Cependant  le  Directoire  Executif,  anime  du  desir  ardent 
de  faire  cesser  le  fleau  de  la  guerre,  et  pour  prouver  qu'il 
ne  se  refuse  a,  aucune  voie  de  conciliation,  declare 
qu'  aussitot  que  le  Lord  Malmesburj  fera  apparoitre  au 
Ministre  des  Relations  Ext^rieures  les  pouvoirs  suffisaus 
des  Puissances  Allies  de  la  Grande  Bretagne,  a  I'effet  de 
stipuler  pour  leurs  int6rets  respectifs  et  leur  promesse  de 
souscrire  a  ce  qui  aura  ^te  conclu  en  leur  nom,  le 
Directoire  Executif  s'empressera  de  repondre  aux  propo- 
sitions precises  qui  lui  seront  faites,  et  que  les  difBcultes 
s'applaniront  autant  que  peuvent  le  comporter  la  siiret6 
et  la  dignite  de  la  R^publique. 

Pour  expedition  conforme, 

(Signe)         L.  M.  Reveilliere  Lepaux,  President. 

Par  le  Directoire  Executif  le  Secretaire  General, 

(Sign6)  Lagarde. 

Pour  copie  conforme, 

Le  Ministre  des  Relations  Exterieures, 

(Signe)         Ch.  Delacroix. 
Par  le  Ministre  le  Secretaire  General, 
(Signe)         T.  GuiRAUDET. 


286  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [l796. 


LETTER    FROM    LORD    MALMESBURY  TO  LORD  GRENYILLE. 
(Private)  Paris,  Thursday,  Oct.,  27th,  1796,  at  midnight. 

My  Dear  Lord,  —  I  should  not  have  troubled  you  Avith 
a  private  letter  by  this  messenger,  if  I  did  not  wish  to  say 
that  I  probably  shall  have  no  plausible  pretence  for  send- 
ing away  another  before  a  week  hence  ;  neither,  unless  I 
should  have  anything  very  essential  to  write,  shall  I  think 
it  necessary  to  send  one  away  sooner.  I  still  am  doubt- 
ful whether  it  will  become  a  negotiation,  but  I  hope  you 
will  not  disapprove  my  not  having  noticed  in  stronger 
terms  than  I  did,  the  exceptionable  surmises  in  the 
answer.  Any  remarks  will  not  only  come  with  more 
effect  from  you,  but  also  be  so  expressed  as  to  accord 
with  your  future  intentions ;  whereas,  if  I  had  once  given 
way  to  my  feelings,  the  words  could  not  have  been  re- 
called, and  they  might  have  done  us  hurt. 

I  am  &c.  Malmesbury. 


DESPATCH    FROM    LORD    MALMESBURY    TO    LORD  GRENVILLE. 

Paris,  27th  Oct.,  1796. 

My  Lord, — I  have  already  had  the  honour  to  represent 
to  your  Lordship  that  I  must,  for  some  time  to  come,  con- 
tinue to  speak  with  great  diffidence  on  every  point  that 
relates  to  the  interior  government  and  policy  of  this 
country  ;  and,  although  I  have  lost  no  opportunity  of 
obtaining  the  most  exact  information  it  was  in  my  power 
to  procure  on  this  complicated  subject,  I  must  again  re- 
peat, that  you  will  consider  what  I  now  offer  to  your 
Lordship  as  a  mere  sketch  which  will  probably  require 
much  future  correction. 

It  appears  that  the  several  descriptions  of  men  who 
compose  the  Directory,  and  the  two  great  Councils  of  the 
nation,  may  be  classed  under  three  general  divisions  (for 
they  cannot  with  propriety  be  called  parties)  ;  the  indi- 
viduals of  each  reserving  to  themselves  their  separate  opi- 
nions, not  only  in  matters  of  detail,  but  often  on  the  most 


1796.]  PARIS.  .  287 

fundamental  points  of  the  constitution,  which  they  all 
equally  profess  to  support,  and  generally  aiming  at  the 
acquisition  of  pre-eminence  in  poAver  or  popularity,  with- 
out any  concert  or  common  principle  of  action. 

The  most  powerful  and  numerous  of  these  divisions  is 
that  which  may,  perhaps  without  much  impropriety,  be 
called  the  faction  of  the  Conventionalists,  or  those  who 
are  attached  to  the  present  constitution,  under  the  modifi- 
cations which  were  annexed  to  it  by  the  last  Convention 
at  the  close  of  their  session,  with  a  view  to  preserve  as 
long  as  possible  in  their  own  hands  the  power  whicli  they 
had  wrested  from  the  partisans  of  Robespierre.  These, 
though  they  are  admitted  to  be  the  most  moderate  of  the 
Jacobins,  are  in  some  measure  implicated  in  the  odium, 
that  now  attaches  to  every  remnant  of  that  once  formid- 
able club.  They  are  violently  censured  for  having  assum- 
ed to  themselves  so  great  a  preponderance  in  the  constitu- 
tion which  they  gave  to  the  nation,  instead  of  leaving 
that  preponderance  to  the  primary  assemblies  ;  for  hav- 
ing defended  their  usurpation  by  force  of  arms  ;  and  for 
having  refused  to  crush  the  faction  of  the  Mountain,  who 
are  the  objects  of  general  execration.  It  was  owing  to 
the  unpopularity  arising  from  these  causes,  that  at  the 
last  election  for  one  third  of  the  Council,  the  primary  as- 
semblies took  care  to  reject  all  candidates  of  this  descrip- 
tion, and  it  seems  to  be  generally  supposed,  (though  I  do 
not  know  whether  justly  or  not,)  that  the  approaching 
elections  in  the  month  of  March  will  be  no  less  unfavour- 
able to  them. 

The  second  party  is  that  of  the  Mountain,  whose  prin- 
ciples (which  they  still  continue  to  avow)  are  sufficiently 
known  to  your  Lordship.  As  their  numbers  are  so  much 
diminished,  and  their  persons  so  universally  odious,  it  is 
generally  supposed  that  they  are  only  tolerated  by  the 
party  now  in  power,  as  engines  who  may  be  employed  on 
any  occasion,  where  the  Government  may  wish  to  have 
recourse  to  such  measures  of  violence  as  are  incompatible 
with  the  freedom  of  the  present  constitution. 

The  third  party,  or  Moderts,  who  call  themselves  les 
Honnetes  Gens,  and  who  are  stigmatised  by  their  enemies 


288  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [l790. 

as  la  Faction  des  Anciennes  Limites,  are  those  who 
were  chosen  at  the  last  election  and  consequently  form 
the  minority,  consisting  of  one  third  of  the  Council. 
They  profess  to  be  pure  republicans,  and  intimate  the 
warmest  attachment  to  the  present  constitution  ;  the  spirit 
of  which,  however,  they  interpret  very  differently  from 
the  majority,  affecting  the  greatest  deference  for  the  opi- 
nions of  the  people  at  large,  which,  indeed,  they  in  a 
great  measure  direct,  declaring  war  only  against  the  par- 
tisans of  the  system  of  terror,  and  endeavouring  to  conci- 
liate the  friends  of  every  other  party  by  principles  of 
liberality  and  universal  toleration.  They  have  lately,  on 
several  occasions,  very  nearly  extorted  from  the  majority 
of  the  Council  their  assent  to  measures  which  in  secret 
they  greatly  disapproved,  and  which,  indeed,  have  a  direct 
tendency  to  transfer  into  other  hands  the  direction  and 
government  of  the  country.  There  are  two  very  impor- 
tant laws,  on  which  the  two  parties  are  at  this  moment  at 
issue.  The  first  relates  to  the  priests,  of  whom  about 
20,000  are  at  present  confined  in  the  different  prisons  in 
France  ;  the  minority  strongly  protest  against  their  further 
detention,  and  have  very  lately  endeavoured  to  repeal  the 
law  of  the  Convention  by  which  it  was  commanded  ;  and 
though  they  have  ultimately  failed  of  success,  their  defeat 
is  attributed  solely  to  a  temporary  manoeuvre  of  the  Di- 
rectory. In  the  mean  time,  their  popularity  has  been 
greatly  increased  by  the  abilities  they  displayed  on  this 
occasion.  The  other  measure,  on  which  the  Council  has 
not  yet  decided,  is  the  repeal  of  a  law  of  the  Convention 
called  "La  Loi  du  troisieme  Brumaire,"  which  excludes 
from  all  places  of  public  trust  and  confidence  any  person 
who  is  related  to,  or  in  any  way  connected  with,  any  of  the 
several  classes  of  emigrants.  In  their  opposition  to  this 
law,  which  is  almost  universally  considered  as  equallv  re- 
pugnant to  all  ideas  of  justice,  and  to  the  spirit  of  the 
constitution,  the  minority  are  strongly  supported  by  the 
public  opinion  ;  and  although,  notwithstanding  the  superi- 
ority in  point  of  argument,  tliey  may  possibly  fail  of  suc- 
cess in  the  present  Council,  it  is  universally  supposed, 
and,  indeed,  with  great  appearance  of  probability,  that 


179G.]  PARIS.  289 

both  the  above-mentioned  laws  will  be  repealed  soon  after 
the  change  which  will  be  made  in  the  Council  by  means 
of  the  next  elections. 

From  this  state  of  things,  your  Lordship  will  not  be 
surprised  to  hear  that  many  persons  look  forward  with 
great  confidence  to  an  early  and  very  considerable  revolu- 
tion in  the  Government  of  France.  It  certainly  appears 
that  the  memory  of  their  late  unhappy  monarch  is  no 
longer  regarded  with  disgust,  but  rather  with  sentiments 
of  compassion  and  remorse  ; '''  that  the  principle  of  sepa- 
rating the  executive  from  the  legislative  authority  being 
admitted,  the  fondness  for  an  oligarchy  is  not  likely  for 
any  length  of  time  to  preponderate  over  the  known 
advantages  of  a  mixed  monarchy  ;  and  that  experience 
having  shown  the  compatibility  of  Republicanism  and  the 
most  savage  tyranny  ;  and  the  animosity  of  the  different 
parties,  who  have  alternately  prevailed  under  what  is 
called  the  neiu  order  of  things,  having  produced  nothing 
but  domestic  misery,  the  nation  begins  to  wish  for  the 
oblivion  of  party  distinctions,  the  cessation  of  civil  dis- 
cord, and  perhaps  an  ultimate  return  to  some  mode  of 
government  founded  on  the  solid  basis  of  experience.  I 
must  observe,  however,  that  the  present  Government  has 
been  long  in  the  possession  of  power  and  influence,  that 
they  are  active  and  vigilant,  and  apparently  very  well 
served  by  their  inferior  agents  ;  and  that  it  cannot  l3e 
supposed,  either  that  they  are  ignorant  of  the  views  of 
their  adversaries,  and  of  the  measures  by  which  it  may  be 
proposed  to  carry  those  views  into  effect,  or  that  they  are 
unprovided  with  formidable  means  of  defence. 

Although,  for  the  reasons  just  given,  I  am  not  yet  able 
to  form  any  decided  opinion  with  respect  to  the  probable 
stability  of  the  existing  Government,  there  can  be  no 
doubt  of  its  present  efficacy,  in  all  matters  of  internal 
regulation.  The  police  of  Paris,  which  is  in  the  hands  of 
Cochon,  a  man  apparently  much  respected  by  all  parties, 
is  unquestionably  as  perfect  in  all  its  parts,  as  it  ever  was 

*  The  truth  of  this  opinion  was  proved  in  the  following  year,  when  the 
Royalist  and  Moderate  party  nearly  obtained  the  victory  over  the  Ultra- 
republicans. 

VOL.  III.  U 


290  DIARIES   AND    CORRESPONDENCE.  [1796. 

under  the  direction  of  M.  Le  Noir,  or  even  under  that 
of  ]\I.  de  Sartines — the  inferior  officers  employed  by  those 
Ministers  having  been  lately  restored  to  their  places,  and 
armed  with  every  power  that  can  be  necessary  to  secure 
the  public  tranquillity. 

I  have  already  had  the  honour  of  mentioning  to  your 
Lordship,  that  I  had  been  much  struck  with  the  general 
appearance  of  plenty  and  excellent  cultivation  in  all  that 
part  of  the  country  through  which  I  passed  on  my  road 
from  Calais  ;  and  I  am  assured  that  the  same  description 
would  apply  to  almost  every  province  of  the  Republic ; 
in  fact,  the  peasants  and  small  landed  proprietors,  though 
exposed  to  frequent  requisitions  and  other  revolutionary 
vexations,  appear  to  have  been  among  the  principal 
gainers  by  the  new  order  of  things  ;  having  from  the  be- 
ginning refused  to  accept  of  assignats  in  return  for  the 
produce  of  their  industry,  and  that  produce  consisting  of 
articles  of  the  first  necessity,  they  gradually  accumulated 
and  constantly  secreted  a  very  large  proportion  of  the 
whole  mass  of  coin  in  circulation.  Witli  this,  wliich  they 
had  the  art  and  courage  to  defend  against  all  the  violence 
of  the  revolutionary  Government,  they  contrived,  during  the 
progressive  depression  of  assignats,  to  make  purchases  of 
land  to  such  advantage  as  appears  almost  incredible.  By 
the  annihilation  of  paper  money,  all  this  mass  of  coin  is 
now  returned  into  circulation,  and  it  certainly  appears 
in  as  great  abundance  as  it  ever  did  during  the  old 
rc^gime.  This  plenty,  however,  is  only  apparent,  since  it 
is  admitted  on  all  sides,  that  the  quantity  of  coin  now 
existing  in  France,  does  not  amount  to  much  more  than 
two-thirds  of  what  this  country  formerly  contained  ;  and, 
as  this  position  has  not  been  denied  or  contested,  it  is 
argued  as  demonstrable,  without  entering  into  the  laby- 
rinth of  French  finance,  that  there  does  not  and  cannot 
exist  any  fund  capable  of  furnishing  the  enormous  sup- 
plies which  would  be  necessary  for  another  campaign ; 
that  the  collection  of  the  arrears  of  taxes  is  evidently  im- 
possible ;  that  the  emission  of  new  paper  would  only 
drive  the  money  of  the  country  again  into  concealment, 
and  that  the  produce  of  taxes,  whether  direct  or  indirect. 


179G.]  PARIS.  291 

could  evidently  amount  only  to  a  small  proportion  of 
the  coin  in  circulation,  and  must  consequently  prove  a 
very  inadequate  resource.  To  this  it  might  be  answered, 
that  at  this  moment  the  army  of  Moreau  is  recruited  and 
supplied  by  requisitions  and  arbitrary  levies,  raised  on  the 
departments  in  its  neighbourhood  ;  that  the  same  revolu- 
tionary methods  might,  and  must,  in  a  case  of  necessity, 
be  employed  throughout  the  kingdom  ;  and  that,  admit- 
ting all  the  ruinous  consequences  of  such  measures,  they 
certainly  would  not  occasion,  in  the  course  of  one  or  two 
campaigns,  the  total  destruction  of  the  country. 

It  is  undeniable,  however,  that  the  distresses  of  the 
Directory  are  extreme,  that  the  cry  for  peace  is  universal, 
that  a  total  disregard  for  the  general  wish  might  be  fatal 
to  them,  that  the  speedy  restoration  of  peace  would  pro- 
bably be  their  strongest  recommendation  to  national 
favour  at  the  next  election,  which  is  now  rapidly  ap- 
proaching ;  and,  consequently,  that  the  expression  of 
their  wishes  on  this  head  may  he  presumed  to  be  tolerably 
sincere.  The  greatest  obstacles  to  the  attainment  of  this 
point  will  probably  arise  from  the  exaggerated  promises 
of  assistance  and  aggrandizement  which  they  are  supposed 
to  have  made  to  their  Allies,  and  to  the  fraternized  de- 
partments in  the  moment  of  their  unexampled  prosperity. 

I  have,  &c.  Malmesbury. 


LETTER   FROM    LORD    MALMESBURY    TO    MR.    CANNING. "*'" 

Paris,  Thursday,  Oct.  27th,  1796. 

My  DEAR  Canning,— Jf  we  have  escaped  the  guillotine 
here,  how  shall  we  escape  the  Tower  in  England  1 

*  Mr.  Canning  was  at  this  time  Under-Secretary  at  the  Foreign  Office. 
From  his  earliest  entrance  into  life  Lord  Malmesbury  appreciated  and 
cherished  his  great  qualities  and  talents,  and  Mr.  Canning  appears  to  have 
returned  this  partiality  with  the  most  sincere  regard.  His  letters  to 
Lord  Malmesbury  are  often  like  those  of  an  affectionate  son,  and  would 
prove  that  a  warm  and  enthusiastic  heart  is  not  to  be  chilled  even  by  the 
selfish  atmosphere  of  politics.  He  and  his  friend  George  Ellis  were  Lord 
Mahnesbury's  constant  guests,  and  were  certainly  not  the  least  brilliant 
amongst  the  many  clever  visitors  whom  he  collected  at  his  house. 

Mr.  Canning  was  placed  in   his  othce  by  Pitt,  who,  at  this  time,  had  his 

u  2 


292  DIARIES   AND    CORRESPONDENCE.  [l796. 

I  need  not  tell  you,  who  know  his  style,  that  although  the 
despatch  on  the  "  state  of  jDarties  "  in  this  country  is  the 
result  of  our  combined  observations  and  information,  yet 
the  putting  it  together  in  the  clear  and  orderly  method  in 
which  it  appears,  is  the  separate  work  of  George  Ellis.  Ren- 
der unto  Ccesar  that,  which  is  CcBsar's,  is  or  will  be  in  my 
instructions  ;  and  I  had  almost  as  soon  keep  Belgium  from 
the  Emperor,  as  the  merit  of  this  letter  to  myself.  Pray 
therefore  tell  Pitt  and  Lord  Grenville  ivho  urote  U, 
that  through  them  it  may  be  known  in  the  closet  and 
Cabinet. 

Pray,  pray  take  care  that  the  puzzle  and  embarrass- 
ments which  I  foresee  with  so  much  certainty  must  arise 
from  the  manner  in  which  we  have  conducted  this  busi- 
ness at  Vienna,  be  not  made  over  to  me  in  its  puzzled 
and  twisted  state  to  unravel.  Besides  the  injustice  of 
visiting  this  sin  upon  me,  let  it  be  considered  that  I  have 
a  sufficient  number  of  knots  to  untie,  and  ends  to  pick 
out,  without  the  addition  of  this  most  confused  one.  I 
am  sure  your  opposite  neighbour'"'"  will  be  kind  to  me  on 
this  occasion,  and  to  him  you  will  apply  in  my  behalf. 

We  go  on  delightfully  among  ourselves,  and  you  would 
be  astonished  how  very  soon  Talbot  found  out  what  I 
wished  him  to  be,  and  how  exactly  he  is  become  so.  I 
anxiously  hope  nobody  whatever  will  be  sent  over  to  me 
yet.  We  already  give  umbrage  from  our  numbers  and 
reputed  cleverness,  and  any  increase  of  suite  would  (till 
the  negotiation  is  fairly  opened)  be  pernicious  ;  and  then 
let  Morpeth,t  and  Morpeth  alone  be  the  person.  I  am 
really  in  earnest  in  this  request,  and  that  not  from  any 
feelings  of  my  own,  but  because  I  am  quite  sure  of  the 
bad  effect  it  would  produce. 

I  scarce  know  how  I  am  to  pass  the  interval  which 
now  must  elapse  before  I  can  resume  the  business  on 

own  proud  timpcr  constantly  ruffled  by  the  still  haughtier  and  much  colder 
nature  ol'  Lord  (ircnville.  Canning  liad  a  difficult  part  to  play  between 
Pitt,  to  whom  he  was  devoted,  and  his  immediate  chief,  who  (if  I  may 
judge  from  various  letters  in  tlio  Harris  collection)  could  never  elicit  the 
personal  regard  from  his  subalterns,  which  they  were  obliged  to  grant  to  his 
fine  understanding. 

*  Mr.  Pitt.  t   The  present  Lord  Carlisle. 


1796.]  PARIS.  *^93 

which  I  am  sent.     I  have  nothing  but  Sir  Sidney  Smith 
to  play  with,  and  he  is  an  edged  tool. 

Adieu,  &c.  Malmesbury. 


Sunday,  Oct.  30. — To  the  Museum  in  the  Louvre. 
Robert  showed  it  us — pictures  not  hung  up.  Saw  Puget 
play—"  Surprise  de  I'Amour"  and  "  Marriage  Secret." 


Monday,  Oct.  31. — Baron  de  Schenck  called.^'    Walked 


-wrote  in  the  evening. 


Tuesday,  Nov.  1. — Went  to  Maison  Grange  Bateliere. 
Good  apartments — saw  the  Library— national  now,  for- 
merly King's— 60,000  MSS.  (quere)— well  kept.  Louis 
XIV.  heures — those  of  Anne  ctAutiiche  finer,  ^o  fund 
now  to  support  it.  Went  to  Les  Italiens — "  Pauvre 
Femme" — remarkable  play — acted  by  Madme  Dugazon. 


Wednesday,  N'ov.  2. — Hardenberg — Ross  and  Champs 
Elys^es.  Visited  Naples  and  Portugal.f  Nothing  new. 
Naples  with  me  in  the  evening. 


Thursday,  Nov,  3. — Madme.  de  Noailles|  from  Ver- 

*  He  was  attacheil  to  the  Prince  of  Orange,  and  took  Lord  Malmesbury's 
Letters  to  England.  The  Directory  at  this  period  of  tho  Negotiation 
published  in  the  "  Redacteur,"  the  Memorial  presented  by  Lord  IVIalmes- 
bury,  and  their  answer  to  it,  with  comments  upon  them :  when  Lord  Malmes- 
bury remonstrated  against  this  unfair  and  unjustifiable  appeal  to  the  pas- 
sions of  the  people,  during  a  transaction  of  this  nature,  it  was  defended  by 
M.  Delacroix  "  as  indispensable  in  the  present  responsible  situation  of  the 
Directory."  Some  personally  libellous  articles  against  our  Ambassador  and 
the  gentlemen  of  his  suite  were  voluntarily  reprobated  and  condemned  by 
the  French  authorities. 

t  The  Ambassadors,  Pignatelli  and  Sandoz. 

%  The  following  account  relative  to  one  of  the  most  amiable  and  talented 
members  of  this  family,  is  from  an  original  memoir  in  the  Harris  Papers. 
"  Lord  Malmesbury  was  at  Brighton  at  the  period  of  the  bitter  and  san- 
guinary persecution  of  the  French  nobility  and  clergy,  during  the  Revolu- 
tion.    As  he  was  walking  on  the  pier,  a  French  fishing-boat  approached  it, 


294  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [l796. 

sailles.  Champs  Elys^es.  Wurtemburg  minister  comes 
to  pump.  Went  with  Lord  G.  Leveson  to  the  Pantheon 
— very  fine.  Walked  back  through  the  Cite.  Play  in 
the  evening.  Dugazon  superiorly  excellent  in  Mariamne — 
the  finest  acting  I  ever  saw.     Letters  from  Sir  S.  Smith. 


Friday,  Nov.  4. — Las  Heras,  late  Spanish  Consul  in 
England,  to  pry.  Wrote  to  Sir  S.  Smith.  Walk  to  the 
Bastille.  Perregaux  dined  with  me.  Opera— moderate, 
not  so  good  as  formerly.  Not  full,  and  bad-looking  com- 
pany. Ballet  moderate  —  dresses  fine — orchestra  good. 
Received  from  M.  Thurot  through  Perregaux  a  trans- 
lation of  "  Hermes."  * 


Saturday,  Nov.  5.— Walk  before  breakfast.  Wrote  to 
Thurot.  Walk  with  Ellis  to  Lignereux — ^beautiful  furni- 
ture. No.  2,  Rue  Christine,  to  Vignon,  who  sells  maps  in 
la  Rue  Dauphine— apparently  honest.  To  Pillons— he 
died  in  the  morning.  To  Magimel,  bookseller — sensible 
man.  To  Rondonneau's,  who  published  all  the  acts  and 
laws— very  talkative,  but  clever— 10,000  laws  published 
since  1789,  only  seventy  in  force, 

and  one  of  its  crew  jumped  out  with  a  baby  in  his  arms,  which  a  lady,  he 
said,  had  thrown  into  the  boat,  entreating  them  to  save  its  Hfe,  and  land  it 
on  the  British  shore,  whither,  if  she  were  spared,  she  would  follow  it.  The 
lady  was  known  to  these  poor  fishermen,  and  beloved  by  them.  They  im- 
mediately stood  over  to  Brighton  with  their  innocent  charge,  unconscious  of 
the  bloody  rcpul)lican  hand  that  had  threatened  its  frail  existence.  Lord 
Malmcshury  took  it  under  his  care,  and  had  it  conveyed  to  Lady  Malmes- 
bury,  at  his  house.  Within  a  month  arrived,  after  a  multitude  of  hair- 
breadth escapes,  the  harassed  mother,  who  had  learnt  the  spot  where  the 
child  had  been  landed,  soon  discovered  its  place  of  refuge,  and  was  ao-ain 
in  possession  of  the  darling  object  of  so  many  days'  anxiety.  Her  o-rati- 
tude  was  unbounded.  This  baby  became  a  handsome  and  fascin'iiting 
woman,  and  a  leader  in  the  tirst  circles  in  Paris.  She  always  signed  herself 
in  her  communications  to  Lord  Malmesbury,  'LeoiUine  Harris.'" 

*  M.  Thurot  had,  by  order  of  the  Cunventiun,  translated  "  Hermes,"  the 
philosophical  work  written  by  Lonl  Malmesbury's  father.  Tills  accidental 
compliment  was  curious,  considering  the  times,  and  tiic  respective  parties. 


1796. J  PARIS.  295 


LETTER   FROM   MR.    PITT    TO    LORD    MALMESBURY. 

Wimbledon,  Nov.  5th,  1796. 

My  dear  Lord, — Although  I  have  nothing  material  to 
trouble  you  with,  in  addition  to  what  you  will  receive 
from  the  office,  I  do  not  like  to  let  the  messenger  go 
without  thanking  you  for  your  letter,  or  without  telling 
you  how  glad  I  was  to  receive  the  interesting  information 
of  different  kinds  which  you  had  in  so  short  a  time  col- 
lected. The  reference  to  Vienna,  which  was  indispens- 
ably necessary,  of  course  renders  your  negotiation  for  the 
present  not  very  active.  We  have  thought,  however, 
that  we  have  a  fair  opportunity  of  urging  again  discus- 
sions on  the  basis,  as  the  best  way  to  abridge  subsequent 
details.  If  you  find  a  disposition  in  the  French  Govern- 
ment to  entertain  any  discussion  on  the  basis  we  have 
proposed,  we  may  fairly  expect  that  we  may  very  soon 
receive  from  Austria  such  communications  as  may  enable 
us  to  furnish  you  with  more  particular  instructions,  and 
enable  you  to  enter  on  more  precise  explanations.  I 
think  it,  however,  not  improbable,  though  I  much  wish 
the  contrary,  that  the  French  Government  may  take  some 
line,  in  consequence  of  the  Note  which  you  are  by  this 
messenger  instructed  to  present,  which  instead  of  ad- 
vancing the  negotiation,  will  only  show  more  clearly  the 
desire  to  evade  it.  All  this  is,  however,  very  vague  con- 
jecture, and  I  own  I  am  quite  at  a  loss  to  judge  whether 
they  feel  most  the  7iecessity  of  peace,  (of  which  I  think 
there  are  strong  indications  in  what  has  already  passed,) 
or  the  impossibility  of  maintaining  their  power  after 
peace  shall  have  been  made.  I  have  been  much  struck 
with  an  idea  accidentally  suggested  to  me  in  the  course 
of  this  day.  It  is  founded  (I  know  not  how  accurately) 
on  the  supposition,  that  there  is  now  a  law  extant  in 
France  (said  to  be  known  as  the  Law  of  the  3rd  Bru- 
maire)  which  excludes  all  the  connexions  of  emigres 
from  any  right  of  voting  till  after  the  end  of  the  war. 
The  inference  is,  that  the  present  Directory  will  not  (if 
they  can  help  it)  make  any  peace  till  after  the  new  elec- 


296  DIARIES    AND    CORRESPONDENCE.  [l796. 

tions  in  March,  as  the  expiration  of  the  law  would  give 
an  accession  of  force  to  their  enemies  in  choosing  the 
new  members,  which  must  end  in  their  ruin.  It  is  very 
probable  that  this  idea  may  be  without  foundation,  but  I 
mention  it  only  that  you  may  judge  of  it.  If  it  appears 
to  deserve  a  moment's  thought,  you  will  let  me  know 
what  occurs  to  you  on  it. 

Our  accounts  from  Italy  are  still  so  tardy,  that  I  know 
not  how  that  quarter  is  likely  to  influence  our  Negotia- 
tion Moreau's  retreat'"'  (as  far  as  we  yet  know  the  par- 
ticulars of  it)  has  been  less  disastrous  to  the  French 
than  might  have  been  expected.  But,  on  the  other  hand, 
everything  on  the  Rhine  from  Dusseldorf  to  Strasbourg 
seems  as  favourable  as  possible.  Our  capture  of  the 
Dutch  squadron  in  Saldanha  Bay  f  is  not  a  bad  episode, 
nor  a  bad  lesson  to  the  allies  of  France  ;  and  above  all, 
the  ease  and  almost  unanimity  with  which  (in  spite  of 
some  violent  speeches)  we  have  carried  through,  in  this 
week,  the  measures  of  defence  for  this  country,  must,  I 
trust,  make  no  small  impression.  I  never  saw  so  much 
zeal  in  Parliament,  or  so  much  reason  to  depend  upon 
it  in  the  country. 

Believe  me,  &c.  W.  Pitt. 


EXTRACTS    OF  A    LETTER    FROM  MR.    CANi\L\G    TO    LORU 

MALMESBURY. 

Downing  Street,  Monday,  7th  Nov.,  17f)6.     Past  niidniglit. 

When  I  promised  you  in  my  letter  by  Mr.  Swinburne  J 
(which  I  trust  you  will  have  received),  tliat  your  messen- 
ger should  be  despatched  to  you  on  Sunday,  though  I 

*  Bclbie  the  Arehduke  Charles. 

t  On  tlic  17th  of  August,  a  Dutch  squadron  of  three  60-pnui  sliips  and 
three  frigates  lying  in  Sahlanha  Bay,  near  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope,  sur- 
rendered to  a  greatly  superior  force  under  Sir  G.  Elphinstone.  Tlie  Dutch 
ships  had  2,000  soldiers  on  hoard,  intemled  for  the  reeoucjuest  of  the  Cape. 

:;  Mr.  Swinburne  was  emjiloyed  by  tlie  English  government  as  agent  for 
the  exchange  of  prisoners.  He  has  published  liis  Memoirs,  and  describes 
Lord  Mahnesbury  as  an  "indolent"  man.  Lord  Ahilmeshury  calls  him  a 
bore,  wliicli  may  acc(;unt  for  the  impression  he  j^roduced  njion  Mr.  Swinlarne. 


1796.]  PARIS.  297 

was  not  aware  that  impediments  might  arise  to  the  exe- 
cution of  this  promise,  which  it  would  be  wholly  out  of 
my  power  to  prevent  or  remedy,  I  certainly  did  not 
foresee  that  which  has  arisen,  and  which  has  been  the 
chief  cause  of  the  detention  of  the  messenger  :  I  mean 
the  death  of  a  sister  of  Lord  Grenville's,  Mrs.  Neville. 
This  event,  which  took  place  yesterday,  retarded  in  a 
considerable  degree  the  completion  of  the  despatches  to 
you,  and  is  perhaps  the  occasion  of  their  being  less  full 
on  some  points  than  they  might  have  been  made,  if  Lord 
Grenville  had  been  able  to  give  them  a  final  considera- 
tion. It  is  the  occasion,  also,  of  Lord  Grenville's  not 
answering  your  private  letters,  as  he  desires  me  to  tell 
you,  and  to  request  that  you  will  accept  the  present 
state  of  his  mind  as  a  sufficient  apology  for  the  omission. 

The  part  of  your  public  instructions  which  seems  to 
me  most  particularly  to  require  the  supplemental  aid 
that  would  probably  have  been  afforded  to  them  by  Lord 
Grenville's  private  letters,  or  by  what  he  might  possibly 
have  added  to  his  despatches,  is  that  which  relates  to  the 
expectation  so  confidently  held  out  of  a  speedy  answer 
from  Vienna,  upon  the  subject  of  the  terms  that  would 
be  accepted  there  as  satisfactory  in  the  event  of  a  general 
pacification.  In  this  expectation  I  confess  I  am  not 
quite  so  sanguine  as  your  instructor.  Nothing  has 
passed  since  you  left  England,  which  makes  it  more  cer- 
tain that  Vienna  is  about  to  enter  into  such  an  explana- 
tion—except, indeed,  the  time  which  has  passed,  and  by 
which,  therefore,  the  explanation,  if  it  is  to  come  at  all, 
must  be  so  much  the  nearer. 

One  thing  about  which  I  am  pretty  certain  he  could 
not  have  written,  though  you  professed  yourself  anxious 
to  hear  from  him  upon  it,  is  the  business  of  the  cockades, 
upon  which  his  opinion,  as  far  as  I  could  collect  it,  ap- 
peared to  be  that  you  had  better  decide  for  yourself  upon 
your  own  opinion,  as  you  thought  best  or  might  find 
necessary,  but  should  by  no  means  look  for  any  answer  to 
your  reference  home.  In  this  opinion,  Pitt,  I  think,  seems 
to  concur  with  him. 

What  other  opinions  Pitt  entertains  respecting  your 


298  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [1796. 

conduct,  and  the  state  of  jour  Mission,  he  will  probably 
have  explained  to  you  himself  in  the  letter  which  I  for- 
ward to  you  from  him,  and  which  he  determined  to  write 
on  his  own  mere  motion,  for  the  express  purpose  (as  he 
told  me)  of  letting  you  see  that  he  was  perfectly  satisfied 
with  all  that  you  had  said  and  done.  He  approves,  I 
know,  of  your  having  sent  to  Vienna ;  he  approves  of 
your  having  passed  by,  for  the  moment,  at  least,  the 
irregularity  in  Lacroix's  powers.  He  would  not  have 
disapproved,  I  am  persuaded,  of  your  having  taken  some 
short  and  spirited  notice  (had  you  thought  it  right  to  do 
so  of  your  own  accord,  and  on  your  own  responsibility,) 
of  the  abusive  part  of  the  Memoire  of  the  Directory.  In 
short,  he  feels  just  as  you  would  have  him,  the  delicacy 
and  difficulty  of  your  situation,  and  would  make  you 
more  allowance  than  you  can  ever  want,  and  will  give 
you  all  the  support  that  you  can  possibly  desire.  It  is  a 
sad  anti- climax,  but  a  necessary  one,  to  add,  that  he  has 
ordered  the  two  thousand  pounds  that  you  required,  to  be 
put  in  a  certain  place.  And  it  would  be  unnecessary  to 
add  further,  but  that  it  is  an  equal,  though  not  so  useful  an 
indication  of  his  good-will  towards  you,  that  his  last  words 
to  me  to-day  were,  "  Pray  write  him  a  comfortable  letter." 
I  know  not  whether  I  shall  exactly  have  fulfilled  his 
injunctions  ;  but  if  I  have  not,  it  is  not  now  the  time  to 
repair  my  neglect.  It  is  now  near  ten  o'clock  ;  your 
boxes  are  made  up,  your  messengers  wait  but  for  me  ;  and 
every  minute,  therefore,  that  I  should  add  to  the  length 
of  this  letter  would  be  so  much  delay  in  the  time  of  your 
receiving  it,  and  all  that  accompanies  it.  You  may, 
therefore,  thank  me  for  bidding  you  farewell,  and  you 
must  now  believe  me,  &c.  G.  C. 


EXTRACTS    OF    A    DESPATCH    FllOM    LORD    GRENVILLE    TO    LORD 

MALMESBURY. 

Downing  Street,  7th  Nov.,  1796. 

Ills  Majesty's  servants  entirely  concur  in  oi)inion  with 
your  Lordship,   that  no  just  ground  of  objection  arose 


1796.]  PARIS.  299 

from  the  expression  of  Gommissaire  used  in  the  powers 
given  to  M.  Delacroix,  as  this  word  is  literally  trans- 
lated from  that  used  in  His  Majesty's  full  powers  to  your 
Lordship,  and  is  indeed  more  strictly  correct  than  any 
other  that  could  be  used  to  describe  the  character  and 
situation  of  a  Plenipotentiary,  no  otherwise  accredited 
than  by  the  commission  which  conveys  to  him  the  autho- 
rity to  negotiate  and  conclude  ;  and  as  it  is  expressly  laid 
down  by  writers  of  the  best  authority  on  the  subject,  that 
a  Commissioner  Plenipotentiary  in  this  situation  is  en- 
titled to  all  the  privileges  of  a  public  Minister. 

With  respect  to  the  powers  produced  by  M.  Delacroix, 
I  am  concerned  to  observe,  that  a  difficulty  occurs  of  con- 
siderable weight,  applying  not  only  to  a  point  of  form, 
but  to  a  matter  of  much  substantial  importance.  The 
powers  granted  to  your  Lordship  contain  a  full  authority 
"  to  treat,  conclude,  and  sign,"  and  are  not  limited  by  any 
reference  to  instructions  given,  or  to  be  given,  to  you ; 
and  it  is  this  circumstance  that  properly  constitutes  them 
"full  powers  ;"  because  whatever  restraints  His  Majesty's 
instructions  may  have  laid  upon  the  exercise  of  your  dis- 
cretion in  negotiating,  the  Treaty,  when  concluded,  derives 
its  full  validity  and  force  from  your  signature,  by  which 
His  Majesty's  good  faith  is  bound  and  concluded.  But 
the  powers  given  to  M.  Delacroix  do  not  come  under 
the  same  description  of  "full  powers  ;"  they  contain  an 
express  reference  to  the  instructions  which  he  is  from  time 
to  time  to  receive  :  so  that,  after  the  signature,  his  act 
may  be  disavowed  as  being  contrary  to  his  instructions, 
and  therefore  beyond  his  ostensible  authority  conveyed  in 
the  instrument  communicated  to  your  Lordship. 

The  extreme  importance  of  every  part  of  this  business, 
and  particularly  of  every  circumstance  by  which  the 
validity  of  any  act  signed  by  the  Minister  with  whom 
you  treat  can  be  in  any  manner  affected,  is  so  great,  that 
His  Majesty's  servants,  however  unwilling  on  such  an 
occasion  to  start  mere  difficulties  of  form,  do  not  feel 
themselves  at  liberty  wholly  to  overlook  the  difference 
which  I  have  here  stated.  But  as  they  are  willing  to 
hope  that  it  has  not  been  intentional,  they  do  not  judge 


300  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [1796. 

it  necessary  that  your  Lordship  should  insist  on  the 
grant  of  more  ample  powers  to  ]\I.  Delacroix  in  the  pre- 
sent stage  of  the  business. 

There  is  indeed  a  very  remarkable  circumstance  in  this 
business,  and  one  which,  while  it  indicates  no  very  liberal 
or  candid  dis230sition  on  the  part  of  those  with  whom  you 
are  treating,  gives  too  much  reason  to  apprehend  that  the 
point  in  question  cannot  have  been  wholly  overlooked  by 
them.  What  I  mean  is  this, — that  immediately  after  fur- 
nishing their  own  Minister  with  these  defective  and  in- 
sufficient powers,  avowedly  limiting  his  authority  by  a 
reference  to  their  instructions,  and  therefore  rendering  all 
his  acts  liable  to  be  disavowed  after  their  signature  ;  they 
attempted  to  raise  a  cavil  against  the  conduct  of  this 
Government  on  the  same  subject,  and  presumed  to  cast 
some  suspicion  of  bad  faith  on  this  Court,  because  they 
collected  from  your  Lordship,  that,  although  possessed  of 
such  powers  as  must  give  undisputed  validity  to  any  act 
to  which  you  affixed  your  signature,  you  were  restrained 
in  the  use  of  those  powers  by  the  orders  of  your  Court,  a 
circumstance  which  must  of  necessity  occur  in  every 
Negotiation  conducted  by  a  public  Minister  out  of  his 
own  country. 

Passing  from  this  point  to  the  substance  of  the  Negoti- 
ation itself,  it  is  with  very  deep  concern  that  I  feel  my- 
self under  the  necessity  of  saying,  that  the  same  spirit 
appears  in  the  whole  conduct  of  the  Directory,  and  especi- 
ally in  the  answer  returned  to  the  j\Iemorial  which  you 
were  charged  to  present.  Nothing  can  be  more  captious 
than  the  pretext  for  delay  which  is  taken  in  that  answer ; 
and  the  offensive  matter  which  is  so  unnecessarily  and 
improperly  introduced  into  that  paper,  seems  hardly  a 
clearer  indication  of  a  wish  to  set  all  conciliation  at  a 
distance,  than  the  purport  of  the  answer  is  of  a  resolu- 
tion to  retard  and  ultimately  to  defeat  the  negotiation. 
Your  Lordship  will,  however,  not  fail  to  observe,  from  the 
spirit  of  the  reply  which  His  Majesty  has  directed  that 
your  Lordship  should  deliver  to  M.  Delacroix,  a  copy 
of  which  I  herewith  enclose  for  that  purpose,  that  tlie 
Kins;  is  resolved  to  suffer  no  artihce,  on  the  })art  of  his 


1796.]  PARIS.  301 

enemies,  so  far  to  succeed  as  to  elude  the  necessity  of 
coming  to  the  clear  and  distinct  issue  on  which  the  busi- 
ness must  finally  turn.  If  the  negotiation  fails,  it  must 
be  rendered  evident  to  the  world  that  it  fails  from  the 
hostile  determination  of  those  who  govern  France,  and 
from  their  resolution  to  admit  of  no  terms  of  peace  which 
are  consistent  with  the  safety,  interests,  and  honour  of 
the  other  Powers  of  Europe. 

Whatever  may  be  the  answer  that  is  returned  to  this 
Note,  your  Lordship  will  he  careful  to  take  it  ad  refe- 
rendum, forbearing  all  reply  or  comment  upon  its  con- 
tents until  you  shall  have  consulted  with  your  Court 
upon  them. 

But  in  case  the  purport  of  the  answer  should  be  (what 
there  is,  perhaps,  little  reason  to  expect  from  the  present 
temper  and  views  of  the  Directory,  such  as  they  have 
been  manifested  in  their  conduct  at  the  opening  of  your 
Mission)  a  full  acceptance  of  the  proposal  contained  in 
this  Note,  you  will  then  state  your  expectation  of  being 
enabled  shortly  to  enter  with  more  precision  and  detail 
into  the  terms  of  a  provisional  negotiation. 

It  appears  highly  necessary  that  His  IVIajesty's  servants 
should  be  in  full  possession  of  all  that  has  passed  at 
Vienna  upon  so  important  a  point,  and  should  have  been 
enabled  to  combine  and  compare  it  with  whatever  the 
ulterior  discussions  carried  on  from  hence  may  have  pro- 
duced before  any  step  is  taken,  or  any  communication 
made  at  Paris  upon  the  subject. 


(memorial  it^closed  for  the  directory.) 

Le  Soussigne  n'a  pas  manque  de  transmettre  a  sa  Cour 
la  reponse  du  Directoire  aux  propositions  qu'il  a  ete 
charg6  de  faire  pour  servir  d'ouverture  a  une  n^gociation 
pacifique. 

Quant  aux  insinuations  offensantes  et  injurieuses  que 
Ton  a  trouve  dans  cette  piece,  et  qui  ne  sont  propres 
qu'  a  mettre  de  nouveaux  obstacles  au  rapprochement  que 
le  Governement  Francois  fait  profession  de  desirer,  le  Koi 


302  DIARIES   AND    CORRESPONDENCE.  [l796. 

I'a  juge  fort  au  dessous  de  sa  dignite  de  permettre  qu'il 
y  soit  repondu  de  sa  part  de  quelque  maniere  que  ce  fut. 
Le  progr^s  et  le  resultat  de  la  Negociation  mettront  assez 
en  evidence  les  principes  sur  lesquels  elle  aura  ete  diri- 
gee,  de  part  et  d'autre  :  et  ce  n'est  ni  par  des  reproches 
revoltantes  et  denuees  de  tout  fondement,  ni  par  des  in- 
jures reciproques  que  Ton  travaille  de  bonne  foi  a  I'ouv- 
rage  de  la  Paix. 

Le  Soussigne  passe  done  au  premier  objet  de  discus- 
sion mis  en  avant  dans  la  reponse  du  Directoire,  celui 
d'une  Negociation  separee  a  laquelle  on  a  voulu  supposer 
sans  aucune  raison  que  le  Soussigne  etoit  autorize  d'ac- 
ceder,  Ses  pleins  pouvoirs  expedies  dans  la  forme  ordi- 
naire, lui  donnent  toute  I'autorization  necessaire  pour 
negocier,  et  pour  conclure  la  paix.  Mais  ces  pouvoirs  ne 
lui  prescrivent  ni  la  forme,  ni  la  nature,  ni  les  conditions 
du  traite  futur.  Sur  ces  objets  il  doit  se  conformer,  selon 
I'usage  etabli,  et  reconnu  depuis  longtems  en  Europe,  aux 
instructions  qu'il  aura  re^u  de  sa  Cour ;  et  il  n'a  pas 
manque  en  consequence  de  prevenir  M.  Delacroix  des 
leur  premiere  conference  que  le  Roi  son  maitre  lui  avoit 
tr^s  express6nent  enjoint  de  n'entendre  a  aucune  propo- 
sition tendante  a  separer  les  interets  de  Sa  ]\Iajeste  d'avec 
ceux  de  ses  Allies. 

II  ne  pent  done  etre  question  que  d'une  negociation 
qui  combinera  les  interets  et  les  pretensions  de  toutes 
les  Puissances  qui  font  cause  commune  avec  le  Poi  dans 
la  presente  guerre,  dans  le  cours  d'une  pareille  nego- 
ciation I'intervention  ou  du  moins  la  participation  de  ces 
puissances  deviendra  sans  doute  absolument  n^cessaires ; 
et  Sa  Majeste  espere  de  retrouver  en  tout  terns  les  memes 
dispositions  pour  traitor  sur  une  base  juste  et  equitable 
dont  Sa  Majeste  I'Empereur  et  Roi  a  donne  au  Governe- 
ment  Francois  une  preuve  si  eclatante  au  moment  meme 
de  I'ouverture  de  cette  campagne. 

Mais  il  paroit  que  ce  seroit  un  delai  tres  inutile  que 
d'attendre  une  autorization  formelle  et  definitive  de  la 
part  des  Allies  du  Roi  avant  que  la  Grande  Bretagne  et 
la  France  puissent  commencer  a  discuter  memo  provi- 
soirement  les  principes  de  la  Negociati<jn.     Une  marche 


1790.]  PARIS.  303 

toiit-a-fait  diff6'ente  a  ete  suivie  par  ces  deux  Puissances 
dans  presque  toutes  les  occasions  semblables.  Et  Sa 
Majeste  pense  que  la  meilleure  preuve  qu'elles  pourroient 
donner  dans  ce  moment  a  toute  I'Europe  de  leur  desir 
mutuel  de  faire  cesser  le  plutot  possible  les  calamites  de 
la  guerre,  seroit  de  convenir  sans  delai  d'une  Base  de 
N^gociation  combinee,  en  invitant  des-lors  leurs  Allies 
d'j  concourir  de  la  maniere  la  plus  propre  a  accelerer  la 
pacification  generale. 

C'est  dans  cette  vue  que  le  Soussigne  a  ete  charge 
de  proposer  d'abord,  et  des  le  commencement  de  la  Xego- 
ciation,  un  principe  que  la  gen^rosite  et  la  bonne  foi 
de  Sa  Majeste  pouvoient  seules  lui  dieter ;  celui  de  co7n- 
penser  a  la  France  par  des  restitutions  proportionelles, 
les  arrangemens  auxquels  elle  devra  consentir  pour  satis- 
faire  aux  justes  pretentions  des  Allies  du  Roi,  et  pour 
conserver  la  balance  politique  de  I'Europe.  Le  Direc- 
toire  ne  s'est  pas  explique  d'une  maniere  precise,  ni  sur 
I'acceptation  de  ce  principe  ni  sur  les  changemens  ou 
modifications  qu'il  desireroit  d'y  apportcr,  ni  enfin  sur 
r^nonciation  d'un  autre  principe  quelconque  qu'il  pro- 
poseroit  pour  servir  au  meme  but.  Le  Soussigne  a  done 
I'ordre  de  revenir  sur  cet  objet  et  de  demander  la  dessus 
une  explication  Tranche  et  precise,  afin  d'abr^ger  les  d^lais 
qui  devront  n6cessairement  r^sulter  de  la  difficulte  de 
forme,  mise  en  avant  par  la  Directoire.  II  est  autorize 
d'aj outer  a  cette  demande  la  declaration  expresse,  que  Sa 
Majeste  en  faisant  part  a  ses  augustes  Allies  de  toutes 
ses  demarches  successives  relativement  a  I'objet  de  la 
pr6sente  N^gociation,  et  en  remplissant  envers  ces  Souve- 
raius  de  la  maniere  la  plus  efficace  tons  les  devoirs  d'un 
bon  et  fidele  AUie,  n'omettra  rien  de  sa  part  tant  pour  les 
disposer  a  concourir  a  cette  N^gociation  par  tons  les 
mojens  les  plus  propres  a  en  faciliter  la  marche  et  en 
assurer  le  succes,  que  pour  les  maintenir  toujours  dans 
des  sentimens  conformes  aux  voeux  qu'elle  fait  pour  le 
retour  de  la  paix  generale  sur  des  conditions  justes, 
honorables,  et  permanentes. 


304  DIARIES   AND    CORRESPONDENCE.  [1796. 

Sunday,  Nov.  6. — With  Perregaiix.  People  dressed, 
and  Boulevards  crowded — aux  Italiens.  Take  a  box  for 
the  montli.  Place  where  bodies  of  the  King  and  Queen 
were  tlung  after  their  execution,  near  la  Rue  Pepiniere. 


Monday,  Nov.  7.  — i\Irs,  Elliot — not  seen  her  since 
Twickenham.  Concert  and  ballet — Cupid  and  Psyche, 
very  capital— Madame  JMillar,  married  to  young  Gardel, 
danced  well — full  house — women  dressed  out — nothing 
striking  either  in  their  dress  or  beauty 


Tuesday,  Nov.  8.— Visited  Doctor  Gemm  dans  la  Rue 
Sepulcre.  To  play — aux  Italiens.  Buonaparte  said  to 
be  son  of  le  General  Marbeuf,'''by  a  Corsican  woman — well 
brought  up  by  him  at  I'Ecole  Militaire — clever,  desperate 
Jacobin,  even  terrorist — his  wife  Madame  Beauharnois, 
whose  husband  was  beheaded — she  now  called  Notre 
Dame  des  Vidoires. 


Wednesday,  Nov.  9. — Dr.  Gemm  called.  Atheist. 
Si/steme  de  la  Nature,  economist,  &c. — the  cold  apa- 
thetic scoundrel  described  by  Burke.  He  came  to  Paris 
in  1751  with  Lord  Albemarle,  —  described  his  own  life 
and  opinions.  Walked.  Sandoz  with  me  in  the  even- 
ing, to  question,  not  answer.  Gemm  was  in  the  same 
prison  and  room  with  Mrs.  Elliot.f  She  told  me  he 
cried  the  whole  time,  was  terrified  to  death — no  candles 
ever  allowed  them,  or  fire  after  it  was  dark.  Mr. 
Stevens — a  Jacobin,  friend  of  Thomas  Payne — he  ^vrote, 
"  Les  Crimes  des  Rois  d' Angle terre."  Corsiui — demo- 
cratic leanings. 


Thursday,  Nov.    10. — Walked  in  the  Tuilleries.     To 
the  play.  Rue  Feydeau — "  Le  Dissipateur"  and  "  I'En- 

*  It  is  almost  needless  to  state  tlmt  this  rumour  (current  at  tlie  time)  was 
perfectly  untrue.  Madame  IJuonajiaite's  sup])()scd  partiality  for  General 
Marbeuf  existed  lon^^  after  tlie  birtli  of  Napoleon.  It  is  equally  superfluous 
to  add,  that  he  never  was  a  "  Terroristc." 

t  Mrs.  Elliott  and  Dr.  Gemm  were  imprisoned  during  the  Reign  of  '•'error. 


1790.]  PARIS.  305 

trevLie," — both  acted  in  perfection.  At  ten,  Timms  and 
WiiFen  arrived — numberless  letters.  Dutch  fleet  taken  at 
the  Cape. 

Friday,   Nov.  11. — Writing — thinking  over  my  new 
instructions — cosi,  cosi.    Walked — wrote  to  Delacroix. 


EXTRACT    OF    A    DESPATCH    FROM   LORD    MALMESBURY    TO 

MR.    PITT. 

Paris,  11th  Nov.,  1796. 

1  AM  most  truly  sensible  of  your  kindness  in  writing 
to  me  so  fully  by  the  last  messenger.  It  is  a  matter 
of  real  satisfaction  to  me  to  hear,  that  you  do  not  dis- 
approve the  line  of  conduct  I  have  hitherto  observed 
since  I  have  been  here. 

I  cannot  but  be  of  opinion  that  the  Directory  consider 
the  duration  of  their  power  to  its  present  extent  to 
depend  very  much  on  the  duration  of  the  war,  at  the 
same  time  that  they  cannot  but  perceive  the  country 
at  large  to  be  much  inclined  for  peace. 

It  strikes  me,  therefore,  that  in  order  to  reconcile  their 
own  interests  with  the  temper  of  the  public,  they  will 
endeavour  to  break  oiF  the  negotiation  at  some  earlv 
period,  and  on  some  collateral  motive.  Since,  if  they 
allowed  it  to  get  into  a  discussion  of  the  conditions, 
those  we  should  hold  out  would  probably  appear  so 
admissible,  even  in  France,  that  they  either  must  sub- 
scribe to  them,  or  consent  to  incur  the  odium  of  pro- 
longing the  war.  My  mind  has  all  along  been  so  im- 
pressed with  this  idea,  that  it  has  in  a  great  measure 
regulated  my  conduct.  I  thought  I  should  have  played 
their  game,  and  forwarded  their  views,  had  I  expressed 
my  indignation  as  strongly  as  I  felt  it,  at  the  ofiensive 
insinuations  in  their  answer  to  the  Memorial ;  and  it 
appeared  to  me,  that  I  should  have  gratified  them  still 
more  had  I  given  in  to  the  provoking  snare  they  laid 
for  me,  and  remonstrated  loudly  against  the  publica- 
tion of  the  papers,   or  the  injurious  paragraphs  about 

VOL.  in.  X 


306  DIAllIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [179G. 

myself."^  Either  of  these  steps  would  have  furnished 
them  with  the  choice  of  means  of  misrepresentation  and 
dispute,  and  drawn  me  precisely  into  the  species  of 
altercation  they  so  much  wish  to  engage  in,  viz.,  one 
wholly  unconnected  with  the  great  question  of  peace 
or  war.  It  is  to  this  point  I  wish  to  bring  them — 
nothing  short  of  it  can  in  my  mind  produce  the  effect 
we  desire.  This  great  question  once  fairly  at  issue, 
the  public  will  be  enabled  to  decide  beyond  the  reach 
of  cavil  or  subterfuge  between  us ;  and  we  may  then, 
I  am  sure,  safely  appeal  to  their  decision.  My  wish, 
therefore,  would  be  to  bring  them  fairly  into  action, 
to  overlook  everything  that  can  be  overlooked  till  our 
projH  and  contre-projH  have  passed  between  us  ; 
and  the  negotiation  engaged  thus  far,  I  feel  confident 
it  would  terminate  to  our  honour.  The  instructions 
I  have  just  received  seem,  in  their  general  tendency, 
to  have  this  in  view ;  and  I  trust  I  have  not  been  to 
blame,  in  endeavouring  as  much  as  depended  on  the 
manner  and  form  in  executing  them,  to  avoid  every 
thing  which  could  be  laid  hold  of  by  the  Directory 
as  a  pretext  for  dissatisfaction.  I  have  said  thus  much 
because  I  wish  you  to  see  into  the  motives  of  every 
part  of  my  conduct,  and  I  do  it  with  the  most  earnest 
hope  that  you  will  give  me  freely  your  opinion  and 
advice  in  consequence  of  it. 

Nov.  13th. 

I  began  this  letter  before  I  had  seen  the  French 
Minister.  What  has  passed  between  us  confirms  me  in 
the  opinion  I  expressed  in  the  beginning  of  this  letter  ; 
and  I  now  think  that  if  they  cannot  find  a  cause  for 
breaking  off  the  negotiation  early,  they  will  make  one, 
and  I  confess  I  expect  every  moment  to  receive  a  mes- 
sage from  the  Directory  to  leave  Paris.  I  hope  you  do 
not  disapprove  the  answer  I  returned  to  their  official 
Note.f     I  felt  it  quite  below  the  dignity  of  my  situation 

*  In  the  "  Redactcnr,"  a  French  Government  newspaper, 
t  Tliis  Note  will  appear  after  Lord  Malmesbury's  despatch  of  the  13th 
to  Lord  Grenvillc. 


1796.]  PARIS.  307 

to  let  it  remain  unnoticed  till  I  heard  from  England, 
besides  my  being  under  the  full  persuasion  that  this 
note  was  meant  for  me  only,  and  by  no  means  as  a 
regular  answer  to  the  last  Memorial  I  gave  in. 

I  have  written  this  letter  in  great  haste,  and  very  in- 
correctly ;  but  what  the  messenger  brings  will  be  a  proof 
that  I  have  had  a  good  deal  to  do,  and  been  exposed  to 
many  interruptions.  I  have  sent  to  Canning  several 
copies  of  the  decret  which  prohibits  the  sale  and  use  of 
English  manufactures,  and  he  will  of  course  supply  you 
with  any  you  may  wish  to  have. 


Saturday,  Nov.  12. — With  Delacroix,  Montrond,*  and 
Swinburne — these  last  and  Perregaux  dined  with  me. 
Answer  from  La  Croix  at  half-past  six — replied  to  it 
at  half-past  eight.     Crisis. 


Sunday,  Nov.  13. — Correspondence  with  Delacroix — 
many  official  notes.  New  mode  —  bad  appearances. 
Writing  all  day  till  nine.  Despatched  Timms — visited 
Mrs.  Elliot.  

Monday,  Nov.  14. — Agreed  to  send  Ellis  to  London — 
saw  Delacroix  on  it — very  much  pleased.  Perregaux 
with  me  in  the  evening ;  proposes  me  to  see  Maco  or 
Boncarrer  as  intermediaries — I  express  an   indifference 

*  M.  Montrond  was  placed  about  Lord  Malmesbury,  as  he  himself  said, 
"  pour  lui  tirer  les  vers  du  nez."  This  person's  various  but  unscrupulous 
talents  dipped  him  in  many  unrevcaled  transactions  of  the  successive  revolu- 
tions in  France.  He  was  much  employed  by  Talleyrand,  who  particularly 
patronized  him.  He  had  the  art,  first,  to  make  himself  useful ;  secondly, 
7iecessa7y  to  those  he  served,  and  then  to  become  dreaded  by  them  for  what 
he  knew  ;  and  this  last  period  was  the  most  profitable  to  himself.  He  was 
both  courted  and  feared  in  society  for  his  wit,  which,  although  generally 
agreeable,  when  it  grew  insolent,  he  was  ready  to  back  by  a  quarrel.  He 
attained  the  longevity  which  characterizes  most  of  his  noted  and  notorious 
contemporaries,  and  died  in  1843  at  Paris,  attended  by  a  servant,  who,  a 
short  time  before  that  event,  replied  to  an  acquaintance  of  Montrond,  who 

called  to  ask  how  he  was  :  —  "  Monsieur,   il  est  f ;   il  n'a   pas   trois 

semaines  de  vie  dans  le  ventre.  Monsieur  pourroit-il  me  recommender  une 
jilace  1  The  inquirer  naturally  recalled  to  mind  the  vulgar  proverb  which 
this  answer  suggested. 

X  2 


308  DIARIES    AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [l796. 

on  the  sul)jecfc — recommends  my  being  well  with  La 
Croix.  Clavier  in  the  evening  with  Ellis.  Writing  till 
twelve. 

Tuesday,  Nov.  15. — Ellis  went  away  at  eight.  Dr. 
Gemm  at  breakfast.  Called  on  Sandoz,  Nothing  very 
marquant.  Gemm  wanted  to  go  when  I  did  to  England 
— I  declined  it.     At  home  in  the  evening. 


EXTRACTS    OF    A    DESPATCH    FROM   LORD    MALMESBURY  TO   LORD 

GRENVILLE. 

Puris,  Sunday,  Nov.  13th,  1796.     9  at  niglit. 

I  AM  now  to  give  your  Lordship  an  account  of  the 
manner  in  which  I  have  endeavoured  to  obey  the  most 
material  part  of  the  instructions  conveyed  in  your  last 
despatches,  and  it  has  been  attended  with  such  extra- 
ordinary circumstances,  that  I  am  most  anxious  to  hear 
that  my  conduct  may  have  met  with  His  Majesty's  appro- 
bation. 

I  used  very  few  words  before  I  delivered  into  M.  Dela- 
croix's hands  the  reply  I  had  it  in  command  to  give  to  the 
paper  I  had  received  in  answer  to  my  first  memorial.  I 
contented  myself  with  ol)serving,  that  it  contained  the 
most  unequivocal  proofs  of  His  Majesty's  earnest  desire  to 
forward  the  great  work  of  pacification  ;  and  that  if  either 
of  "the  principles  laid  down  in  it  should  be  acceded  to  by 
the  Directory,  much  time  would  be  saved.  M.  Delacroix 
read  it  aloud.  Li  reading  the  passage  which  begins, 
"  Quant  aux  insinuations  offensantes,"  he  paused,  and 
evidently  was  going  to  shew  some  strong  symptoms  of 
dis])leasure,  when  I  stopped  him  by  begging  him  to  recol- 
lect that  this  was  only  an  answer  to  what  was  contained 
in  the  Memorial  I  had  received  from  him,  and  that  I  had 
prepared  him  for  it,  by  saying  when  I  received  it,  that  it 
was  liable  to  great  and  just  animadversions,  although  I 
myself  at  the  time,  from  reasons  which  he  could  not  but 
approve,  abstained  from  making  them.  He  replied.  Your 
expressions  are  stronger  than  ours.  (Vous  nous  surpassez 


1796.]  PARIS.  309 

de  beaucoup.)  I  said  I  was  sorry  they  should  have  in- 
duced the  necessity  of  using  such  strong  language  in  offi- 
cial papers,  but  as  no  good  could  result  from  any  alterca- 
tion on  this  point,  I  submitted  to  him,  whether  it  would 
not  be  better  to  let  it  drop,  and  to  proceed  in  reading  the 
paper.  He  went  through  it,  with  visible  signs  of  disap- 
probation, but  he  made  no  remarks  except  a  sort  of  de- 
clamation at  that  part  which  speaks  of  the  Court  of 
Vienna,  and  says,  "  Sa  JVIajeste  I'Empereur  et  Roi  a 
donne  une  preuve  ^clatante,  &c."  I  did  not  think  this 
required  notice  at  the  moment,  and  let  it  pass  appa- 
rently unobserved  on  my  part. 

When  he  had  finished  reading  he  said,  after  a  short 
pause,  that  he  was  very  sorry  to  perceive  that  this  paper 
containing  nothing  new,  left  the  matter  just  where  it  stood 
before,  and  that  although  he  could  not  speak  officially  till 
he  had  laid  it  before  the  Executive  Directory,  yet  he 
did  not  foresee  that  any  answer  different  from  what  they 
had  already  made  could  be  given  to  it. 

I  pointed  out  to  him  that  there  was  evidently  a  new 
and  distinct  proposal  brought  forward  ;  that  it  was  stated 
in  the  most  direct  terms,  if  the  French  Government 
would  adopt  a  mode  of  negotiation  which  had  been  so 
frequently  adopted  on  similar  occasions,  and  enter  into 
pourparlers  with  England,  as  to  the  basis  of  the  nego- 
tiation and  outlines  of  the  terms  to  be  communicated 
afterwards  to  their  respective  allies  for  their  concurrence, 
much  time  would  necessarily  be  saved  in  advancing  the 
great  work  of  a  general  pacification.  I  referred  him 
to  that  passage  in  the  Memorial,  beginning,  "  Mais  il 
parait  que  cela  sera  un  delai  tres  inutile."  I  could 
not,  however,  prevail  on  M.  Delacroix  to  admit  this 
mode  of  reasoning,  self-evident  as  it  was  ;  and  he  per- 
sisted in  saying,  that  unless  I  could  explain  precisely 
and  clearly  what  was  meant  by  compensations,  and, 
in  short,  unless  I  was  noiu  empowered  to  treat  speci- 
fically of  terms  and  conditions,  he  did  not  see  how 
any  answer  difierent  from  the  last  could  be  given  by 
the  Directory.  He  went  on  by  saying  that  it  certainly 
was  not  their  wish  to  keep  all  their  conquests  ("  Nous 


310  DIARIES  AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [l796. 

ne  voulons  pas  assur^ment  tout  garder")  ;  but  we  want 
much  to  know  what  retrocessions  you  intend  for  us  and 
our  allies.  I  said  that,  till  it  was  known  whether  the 
Directory  formally  accepted  the  proposal  I  now  made,  or 
whether  they  would  bring  forward  one  which,  though 
different  in  form,  would  substantially  promote  the  same 
end,  I  was  not  and  could  not  be  empowered  by  any  Court 
to  go  the  lengths  he  required ;  but  that,  from  the  face  of 
the  proposal  itself,  it  was  manifest  that  these  points  would 
be  brought  into  discussion  the  moment  we  should  be  agreed 
as  to  the  preliminary  basis  on  which  they  were  to  rest, 
and  which  it  was  indispensably  necessary  to  establish 
before  we  began  even  a  provisional  negotiation. 

^Notwithstanding  the  apparent  clearness  of  this  lan- 
guage, M.  Delacroix  persisted  in  his  opinion  :  he  said 
to  me,  you  acknowledge  the  integral  existence  of  the 
French  Repu])lic,  ("Vous  reconnoissez  I'int^grit^  de  la 
Republique  Fran^aise,")  and  surely  mean  to  treat  with  it 
as  with  other  powers.  I  said,  my  being  here  was  the 
best  answer  I  could  make  to  this  remark ;  and  I  once 
more  resumed  all  I  had  said,  and  urged,  that  though  he 
might  not  admit  to  the  whole  extent  my  reasoning,  yet 
that  the  proposing  provisional  discussions  was  really  the 
strongest  proof  which  could  be  given  that  we  sincerely 
wished  to  promote  a  definitive  negotiation.  M.  Dela- 
croix expressed  no  doubt  on  this  head  ;  he  did  not  even 
hint  at  the  idea  of  a  separate  peace  ;  and  on  my  taking 
leave  of  him  he  said,  "  C'est  avec  regret  que  je  vols  que 
votre  courier  ne  vous  a  apport6  que  ce  que  vous  venez 
de  me  dire." 

We  parted  between  twelve  and  one ;  and  I  certainly 
was  by  no  means  prepared,  from  anything  which  passed  in 
our  conference,  to  receive  at  half-past  six  r.M.  the  inclosed 
Official  Note  (A).  It  found  me  preparing  my  despatches 
for  your  Lordship,  and  I  was  on  the  point  of  sending 
Timms  to  England  when  it  was  brought  me. 

It  appeared,  that  as  it  was  addressed  so  pointedly  to 
me,  it  became  me  to  reply  to  it  directly,  and  in  the  same 
style.  I  therefore,  at  half-past  eight,  returned  the  in- 
closed   answer   (B).      T  trust,   in   so   doing,    I  have  not 


1790.]  PARIS.  311 

exceeded  my  instructions,  and  that  both  in  the  form  and 
substance  it  will  not  be  disapproved.  To  leave  them  for 
a  moment  under  the  impression  that  two  such  captious 
questions,  put  so  peevishly,  required  any  reference  to  my 
Court,  or  indeed  more  time  in  being  answered  than  was 
necessary  to  put  the  answer  on  paper,  struck  me  as  highly 
unbecoming  a  Minister  representing  so  great  a  King,  and 
belonging  to  so  great  a  Court  as  I  do. 

This  morning  I  thought  it  also  incumbent  on  me  to 
ascertain  whether  this  official  Note  was  the  only  answer  I 
had  to  expect.  It  certainly  bore  no  marks  of  being  one, 
and  looked  more  like  a  preliminary  step  to  sending  me 
out  of  the  country  than  a  reply  to  a  conciliatory  Memo- 
rial, But,  from  some  expressions  used  in  a  private  Note 
I  received  afterwards  from  M.  Delacroix,  I  was  led  to 
suppose  that  it  was  just  possible  no  other  would  be  given 
me,  and  for  this  reason  I  sent  him  this  morning,  at  ten 
A.M.,  the  inclosure  (C).  At  twelve  I  received  the  answer 
(D),  and,  as  it  is  now  avowed  to  be  the  only  official  answer 
I  am  to  receive  to  the  Note  I  delivered  in  yesterday,  I 
shall  most  carefully  forbear  all  reply  and  comment  upon 
it,  and  wait  your  Lordship's  orders  how  I  am  to  proceed  ; 
and  if  I  have  failed  in  adhering  literally  to  my  instruc- 
tions by  the  reply  I  made  to  it,  it  was  from  the  full 
persuasion  that  the  Note  I  received  last  night  from 
M.  Delacroix  was  framed  with  a  view  of  procuring  from 
me  materials  to  form  the  answer  to  be  given  to  my  last 
Memorial,  and  by  no  means  the  answer  to  the  Memorial 
itself. 

I  immediately  answered  the  Note  (D)  by  the  inclosure 
(E).  About  half  an  hour  afterwards  I  received  from 
M.  Delacroix  the  inclosure  (F),  which  your  Lordship 
will  perceive  in  the  first  part  is  a  reply  to  the  answer  I 
gave  last  night  to  the  Official  Note  from  M.  Delacroix, 
marked  (A),  and  serves  as  a  convincing  proof  that  no- 
thing more  will  be  said  on  that  subject. 

In  the  second  part  it  introduces  a  question  relative  to 
the  sending  of  messengers,  never  yet  brought  forward,  and 
in  itself  perfectly  novel.  The  drift  of  this  question  I  can- 
not presume  exactly  to  ascertain,  but  I  have  endeavoured 


312  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [1796. 

to  be  so  guarded  in  mj  answer  (G),  as  to  make  it  impos- 
sible for  them  to  draw  any  other  condusion  from  it, 
except  the  general  one,  that  I  hold  I  have  a  right  to  de- 
spatch messengers  whenever  I  please. 

I  must  confess,  my  Lord,  that  the  impression  which 
these  numberless  Notes,  all  written  this  morning  at  the 
Directory  while  it  was  sitting,  and  under  their  immediate 
inspection,  have  made  on  my  mind  is,  that  they  are  pre- 
paratory to  a  message  to  send  me  out  of  the  country ; 
and  the  rapidity  with  which  they  succeeded  each  other, 
seems  to  argue  an  intention  of  drawing  from  me  in  reply 
some  such  hasty  and  imprudent  expression  as  might  fur- 
nish a  plausible  excuse  for  this  act  of  authority. 

Though  I  flatter  myself  I  have  avoided  the  possibility 
of  incurring  this  imputation,  yet,  if  it  should  be  their 
decided  purpose  to  send  me  away,  no  conduct  of  mine 
can  be  sufficiently  circumspect  to  prevent  their  carrying 
it  into  eflect.  Perhaps  they  may  rather  wish  that  my 
recal  should  proceed  from  home  :  and  that  it  is  their 
design,  at  this  moment,  to  break  ofi"  the  negotiation, 
seems  strongly  evinced  by  the  whole  of  their  conduct 
towards  me  during  the  last  two  days. 

What  new  system  they  may  have  adopted,  or  what  new 
event  has  encouraged  them  to  wish  for  this  measure  ; 
whether  they  are  tempted  to  believe  the  King  of  Prussia 
will  become  their  active  ally,  or  the  Count  of  Vienna  cease 
to  be  ours ;  or  whether  they  simply  presume,  that  when 
the  maritime  force  of  Spain  and  Holland  is  added  to 
theirs,  they  may  reduce  us  to  their  own  terms,  by  a 
continuation  of  the  war,  is  impossible  for  me  to  guess. 


Paris,  le  22  Brumairc,  an  5. 

Le  Soussigne  est  charg6  par  le  Directoire  Executif  de 
vous  inviter  h.  designer  dans  le  plus  court  delai  et  no- 
minativement  les  ohjets  de  compensation  reciproques  que 
vous  proposez. 

II  est  charg6  en  outre  de  vous  dcmandcr  quelles  sont 
les  disposition !<  pour  traiter  par  iiue  base  juste  et  equit- 


179G.]  PARIS.  81 


Q 


able,  dont  Sa  Majeste  VEmpereur  et  Roi  a  donne  au 
Gouvernement  Francais  une  preuve  si  edatante  au  mo- 
ment meme  de  Vouverture  de  la  campagne.  Le  Di- 
rectoire  Ex^ciitif  I'ignore.  C'est  TEiupereur  et  Roi  qui  a 
rompu  Tarmistice. 

Ch.  Delacroix. 


(B.) 

A  Paris,  ce  12  Nov.  1796. 

Le  Soussigne  n'hesite  pas  un  moment  a  repondre  aux 
deux  questions  que  vous  etes  charg6  de  lui  faire  de  la 
part  du  Directoire  Executif. 

Le  M6moire  pr^sent^  ce  matin  par  le  Soussigne  pro- 
pose en  termes  expres,  de  la  part  de  Sa  Majest6  le  Roi 
de  la  Grande  Bretagne,  "  de  compenser  a  la  France,  par 
des  restitutions  proportionelles,  les  arrangemens  auxquels 
elle  devra  consentir  pour  satisfaire  aux  justes  pretensions 
des  Allies  du  Roi,  et  pour  conserver  la  Balance  Politique 
de  I'Europe." 

Avant  I'acceptatiou  formelle  de  ce  principe,  ou  l'6ion- 
ciation  de  la  part  du  Directoire  Executif  d'un  autre 
quelconque,  qui  puisse  ^galement  servir  de  base  k  la 
negociation  d'une  paix  generale,  le  Soussign6  ne  sauroit 
etre  autorise  a  designer  les  ohjets  de  compensation  reci- 
proque.  Quant  a  la  preuve  des  dispositions  pacifiques 
donn^e  au  Gouvernement  Francais  par  Sa  Majesty  FEm- 
pereur  et  Roi,  a  Fouverture  de  la  campagne  ;  le  Sous- 
signe se  contente  de  rappeler  les  paroles  suivantes,  qui  se 
trouvent  dans  la  Note  du  Baron  de  D'Engleman  du  4  Juin 
dernier  :  "Les  operations  de  la  guerre  n'empecheront 
nullement  que  Sa  Majeste  Lnperiale  ne  soit  toujours 
portee  a  concourir  d'apr^s  telle  forme  de  negociation  qui 
sera  adoptee  de  concert  entre  les  Parties  Belligerantes,  a 
la  discussion  des  moyens  propres  pour  mettre  fin  a  FefFu- 
sion  ulterieure  du  sang  humain." 

Cette  Note  fut  presentee  ajwes  la  rupture  de  Farmis- 
tice. 

(Signe)         Malmesbukv. 


314  DIARIES  AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [1786, 

(C.) 

Paris,  13  Nov.,  1796. 

Le  Ministre  P16iipotentiaire  de  Sa  Majesty  Britan- 
nique  s'adresse  au  Ministre  des  Relations  Exterieures, 
pour  le  prior  de  I'informer  s'il  doit  regarder  la  Note 
Officielle  qii'il  a  re^ue  de  sa  part,  hier  au  soir,  comme  la 
reponse  a  celle  que  le  Lord  Malmesbuiy  a  remise  hier 
matin  au  Ministre  des  Relations  Exterieures  par  ordre  de 
sa  Cour. 

n  fait  cette  demarche  pour  ne  pas  retarder  inutilement 
le  depart  de  son  courier. 

(Signe)         Malmesbury. 


(D.) 

Le  23  Brumaire,  an  5. 

Le  Soussigne  Ministre  des  Relations  Exterieures  de- 
clare au  Lord  Malmesbury,  Plenipotentiaire  de  Sa  Ma- 
jeste  Britannique,  qu'il  doit  regarder  la  Note  Officielle 
qu'il  lui  a  transmise  hier  comme  la  reponse  a  celle  que 
le  Lord  Malmesbury  lui  avoit  adress6e  le  matin  du  meme 

jour. 

(Sign6)         Ch.  Delacroix. 


Paris,  cc  13  Nov.,  1796. 

Le  Lord  Malmesbury  vient  de  recevoir  la  reponse  du 
Ministre  des  Relations  Ext6'ieures,  dans  laquelle  il  de- 
clare que  la  Note  Officielle  qu'il  lui  a  transmise  hier  doit 
^tre  regard^e  comme  la  response  Ti  celle  que  le  Lord 
Malme>sbury  lui  a  adressec  le  matin  du  meme  jour.  Lord 
^lalmesbury  la  communiquera  des  aujourd'hui  a  sa  Cour. 


Paris,  cc  23  Bruniairc,  an  5, 

Le  Soussign^,  en  reponse  a  votrc  seconde  Note  d'hicr, 
est  charge   par  le  Directoire  Ex^cutif  de  vous  declarer 


1796.]  PARIS.  315 

qu'il  n'a  rien  a  aj  outer  a  la  r^ponse  qui  vous  a  ete 
adressee.  II  est  charge  egalement  de  vous  demander, 
si  a  chaque  communicatiou  officielle  qui  sera  faite  entre 
vous  et  lui,  il  sera  u6c6ssaire  que  vous  envoyiez  un 
courier  pour  recevoir  des  instructions  sp6ciales. 

(Sign6)         Ch.  Delacroix. 


(G.) 

Paris,  ce  13  Novembre,  1796. 

Le  Soussigne  ne  manquera  pas  de  transmettre  a  sa  Cour 
la  Note  qu'il  vient  de  recevoir  de  la  part  du  Ministre 
des  Relations  Exterieures.  II  declare  egalement  qu'il 
sera  dans  le  cas  d'expedier  des  couriers  a  sa  Cour,  chaque 
fois  que  les  communications  officielles  qui  lui  seront 
faites,  exigeront  des  instructions  speciales. 

(Signe)         Malmesbury. 


EXTRACT  OF  A  DESPATCH  FROM  LORD  GRENVILLE  TO  LORD 

MALMESBURY. 

Downing  Street,  22nd  November,  1796. 

I  WAS  preparing  the  answer  to  your  letters,  when 
Mr.  Ellis  arrived  from  Paris.  The  anxiety  which  I  felt 
to  learn  from  him  the  various  particulars  which  had 
fallen  under  his  observation  during  his  residence  there, 
led  me  to  suspend  the  departure  of  the  messenger  till 
I  had  an  opportunity  of  conversing  with  him. 

K  I  had  written  under  the  impressions  which  the 
perusal  of  the  correspondence  between  your  Lordship 
and  M.  Delacroix  had  created  in  my  mind,  I  could  have 
considered  the  letters  of  that  Minister  no  otherwise  than 
as  proceeding  from  a  fixed  and  deliberate  plan  to  bring 
to  an  immediate  and  abrupt  termination  the  Negotiation 
with  which  your  Lordship  is  charged.  Even  under  this 
impression,  no  other  instructions  would  have  been  given 
to  your  Lordship  than  those  of  proceeding  in  the  same 
line  of  temperate  but  steady  conduct  which  was  origin- 


316  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [1796. 

ally  pointed   out  to  you,  and  which  you  have  followed 
with  so  much  ability  and  judgment. 

The  circumstances  which  Mr.  Ellis  has  related  to  me, 
may  induce  a  belief  that  the  unprecedented  conduct  of 
the  Directory  in  the  whole  of  this  business,  should  be 
attributed  rather  to  their  ignorance  of  the  usual  mode 
of  carrying  on  such  negotiations,  and  to  the  uncertainty 
and  difficulty  under  which  they  act  on  account  of  their 
own  precarious  situation,  than  to  any  settled  system  of 
policy. 

With  respect,  however,  to  the  next  step  to  be  taken 
on  His  Majesty's  part,  the  result  is  nearly  the  same ;  to 
whatever  principle  of  action  the  conduct  of  the  French 
Government  is  to  be  attributed,  nothing  can  be  done  in 
the  present  state  of  the  Negotiation,  except  to  adhere  to 
the  liberal  proposal  already  made,  and  to  drive  the  Direc- 
tory to  the  necessity  of  giving  to  it  a  plain  and  direct 
answer,  such  as  may  either  forward  the  progress  of  the 
Negotiation  or  place  their  hostile  dispositions  in  the 
clearest  light. 

It  is  in  this  view  that  the  enclosed  paper  has  been 
drawn.  Whatever  answer  may  be  given  to  it.  His  IVIa- 
jesty  thinks  proper  to  reserve  to  himself  the  power  of 
acting  upon  it  according  as  the  state  of  the  Negotiation 
may  appear  to  require. 

It  would  be  very  superfluous  for  me  to  add  anything 
to  the  arguments  by  which  your  Lordship  has  already 
supported  the  just  and  candid  proposal  now  made.  You 
will  renew  them  on  the  occasion  of  the  delivery  of  this 
Note,  and  you  will  pursue  the  same  line,  waiving  all  otlier 
discussion,  until  the  Directory  shall  have  been  brought  to 
a  clear  and  distinct  answer  upon  this  point,  or  to  a  direct 
refusal  to  give  any  answer  upon  it. 

When  the  business  shall  have  been  brought  to  tliis 
stage  in  either  of  those  two  modes,  your  Lordship  must 
of  necessity  again  refer  it  home  for  further  instructions. 
If  the  course  ultimately  taken  by  the  Directory  should 
be  that  of  a  positive  refusal  to  explain  itself  at  all  as 
to  any  principle  of  negotiation,  tlie  necessity  of  such  a 
reference  is  so  obvious,  that  it  can  luirdly  require  to  be 


1796.]  PARIS.  317 

explained  to  the  Directory,  because  it  must  then  be  for 
His  Majesty  to  decide,  upon  a  deliberate  view  of  what 
shall  have  passed,  whether  he  will  take  any  further  step, 
or  consider  such  refusal  so  made  as  a  termination  of  the 
whole  business.  If  some  alteration  in  the  principle  now 
altered  by  His  Majesty,  or  some  principle  entirely  different 
from  it,  shall  be  proposed,  this  would  also  plainly  lead 
to  the  necessity  of  a  reference  home  for  further  instruc- 
tions on  points  which  could  not  have  been  foreseen. 

But  if  the  proposal  made  by  His  Majesty  shall  ulti- 
mately be  accepted,  it  is  probable  that  your  Lordship 
will  be  urged  to  proceed  to  the  detailed  discussion  of 
terms ;  and  it  is  therefore  very  material  that  in  such  case 
you  should  apply  yourself  with  particular  attention  to 
prove  to  the  Minister  with  whom  you  treat,  and  to  the 
Directory,  that  the  reference  for  further  instructions 
ought  not  to  be  attributed  to  any  desire  for  delay,  but  to 
the  nature  and  necessity  of  the  case  itself, — it  being  ab- 
solutely impossible  that  any  precise  or  detailed  proposals 
should  be  framed,  till  it  has  been  seen  to  what  extent  and 
in  what  manner  the  principle  offered  as  a  basis  of  treaty 
has  been  adopted  by  the  enemy.  Even  if  no  other  diffi- 
culty were  in  the  way,  (of  which  there  are  many,)  the 
situation  in  which  the  King  stands,  as  with  respect  to  his 
Allies,  is  such  as  alone  to  prove  the  necessity  of  reference 
home  after  the  adoption  of  the  general  principle,  what- 
ever it  may  be,  which  may  be  finally  agreed  upon. 

But  you  may  give  the  strongest  assurances  that  every 
practicable  endeavour  will  be  used  to  avoid  delay  in 
framing  and  transmitting  such  instructions  as  will  enable 
your  Lordship  to  enter  into  the  detailed  discussion  of 
this  arduous  and  complicated  business  as  soon  as  pos- 
sible after  the  general  groundwork  of  it  shall  have  been 
laid,  in  conformity  to  the  usual  practice  on  similar  oc- 
casions. 

Previously  however  to  your  receiving  such  instructions 
it  may  l)e  very  material  that  you  should  ascertain,  and 
that  by  the  mode  of  written  notes,  whether  or  not  it  is 
to  be  understood  that  the  negotiations  which  relate  to 
the  detail  of  the  conditions  of  peace  are  to  be  rendered 


MS  DIARIES  AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [1796. 

public  from  day  to  day  in  the  same  manner  as  has  taken 
place  with  respect  to  the  preliminary  discussions.  The 
objections  to  such  a  practice,  as  rendering  the  success 
of  all  negotiation  more  precarious  and  difficult,  have 
already  been  so  ably  stated  by  your  Lordship  to  M.  De- 
lacroix, that  I  cannot  do  better  than  to  desire  your 
Lordship  to  repeat  and  enforce  the  same  topics. 

I  have  only  to  add  to  this  despatch  the  assurance  of 
His  Majesty's  perfect  and  entire  approbation  of  the  step 
taken  by  your  Lordship  in  returning  an  immediate 
answer  to  the  captious  questions  of  the  Directory,  and  of 
the  very  proper  style  and  tenour  of  the  different  Notes 
transmitted  by  your  Lordship  to  M.  Delacroix. 


INCLOSURE  TO  THE  DIRECTORY. 

La  Cour  de  Londres,  inform6e  de  ce  qui  s'est  pass6 
ensuite  du  dernier  M^moire,  remis  par  son  ordre  au 
Ministre  des  Relations  Exterieures,  a  trouve  qu'il  n'y  a 
absolument  rien  a  aj outer  h  la  r^ponse  faite  par  le  Sous- 
sign^  aux  deux  questions  que  le  Directoire  a  jug6  a 
propos  de  lui  adresser. 

Elle  attend  done  encore  et  avec  le  plus  grand  int^ret 
I'explication  des  sentimens  du  Directoire  par  rapport  au 
principe  propos6  de  sa  part  pour  base  de  la  negociation ; 
et  dont  I'adoption  a  paru  le  moyen  le  plus  propre  pour 
acc^lerer  le  progres  d'une  discussion  si  importante  au 
bonheur  de  tant  de  nations. 

Le  Soussign^  a  re^u  en  consequence  I'ordre  de  rcnou- 
veller  la  demande  d'une  reponse  franche  et  precise  sur 
cet  objet,  afin  que  sa  Cour  puisse  connoitre  avec  certitude 
si  le  Directoire  accepte  la  dite  proposition,  s'il  desire  d'y 
apporter  des  changemens  ou  modifications  quelconques  ; 
ou  enfin  s'il  voudroit  proposer  quelqu'autre  principe  pour 
servir  au  meme  but. 


1796.]  PARIS.  319 


LORD    MALMESBURY    TO    LORD    GRENVILLE. 

Paris,  Sunday,  Nov.  13tli,  1796. 

My  Lord, — I  have  reason  to  believe  from  the  accounts 
I  have  received  that  there  are  at  Brest  eleven  sail  of  the 
line  ready,  to  a  certain  extent,  for  sea,  and  from  fifteen  to 
twenty  thousand  men.  The  troops  are  chiefly  at  Mor- 
laix,  and  it  is  supposed  that  an  expedition  is  meditated 
against  Ireland.'"'  In  order  to  encourage  the  soldiers  to 
embark,  the  most  exaggerated  reports  are  spread  of  the 
temper  of  that  country,  and  of  the  successful  insurrec- 
tions which  have  taken  place  in  it.  The  idea  of  a  de- 
scent on  the  coast  of  England  from  Dunkirk,  Ostend,  and 
Flushing  seems  no  longer  to  be  a  prevalent  one,  and  I 
understand  the  embargo  is  taken  ofl". 

I  have,  &c.  Malmesbury. 


EXTRACT    OF   A   DESPATCH    FROM    LORD    MALMESBURY    TO 
LORD    GRENVILLE. 

Paris,  Sunday,  Nov.  13th,  1796. 

I  REALLY,  my  Lord,  am  as  yet  quite  incompetent  to 
speak  with  any  degree  of  precision  on  the  resources 
either  of  men  or  money  which  yet  remain  to  be  expended 
in  this  country.  That  all  the  ordinary  ones,  and  those 
known  to  regular  and  well-administered  governments 
have  been  long  exhausted,  is  evident.  But  I  am  inclined 
to  think  that  the  Directory  is  still  strong  enough,  and 
the  Nation  still  delirious  enough,  to  allow  of  the  practice 
of  revolutionary  means,  and  as  these  go  to  take  what  is 

*  This  expedition  sailed  from  Brest  December  17th,  and  consisted  of 
seventeen  sail  of  the  line  and  thirteen  frigates,  besides  small-craft  and  trans- 
ports, having  on  board  20,000  men  under  Hoche,  who  was  ordered  to  make 
a  descent  on  the  south-west  coast  of  Ireland.  This  he  was  unable  to  effect, 
owing  to  continued  boisterous  weather,  which  dispersed  the  fleet,  and  com- 
pelled it  to  return,  with  the  loss  of  two  ships  of  tlie  line  and  two  frigates 
wrecked,  and  one  frigate  captured. — (James's  Naval  History.) 


320  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [1796. 

wanted,  wherever  and  however  it  is  to  be  found,  thej 
may  be  considered  as  a  reserve  which  will  last  as  long  as 
the  fever  of  the  Nation  can  be  kept  from  subsiding. 
Every  week,  however,  which  passes  over,  without  these 
revolutionary  means  being  employed,  renders  the  exer- 
cising them  more  difficult  ;  and  perhaps  as  essential  a 
point  as  can  be  obtained  from  my  mission  in  its  present 
state  will  be,  the  recovering  gradually  the  minds  of  the 
people  here  from  that  state  of  eifervescence  and  frenzy 
in  which  they  have  been  for  several  years  past,  and 
placing  before  their  eyes  and  within  their  reach  a  pros- 
pect of  repose  and  security. 

The  change  of  one-third  which  must  take  place  at  the 
next  elections  in  the  two  Councils  will  probably  intro- 
duce into  them  (notwithstanding  the  law  of  the  3rd 
Brumaire  still  exists)  a  great  number  of  wealthy  persons 
(les  nouveaux  Riches  as  they  are  called),  and  a  large 
majority  will  be  then  composed  of  men  of  this  descrip- 
tion. Their  interests  will  most  undoubtedly  lead  them 
to  adopt  a  very  different  system  from  that  which  hitherto 
has  been  followed.  It  will  not  be  one  of  desperate  per- 
sons, eager  by  every  means  to  acquire  property,  but  that 
of  men  anxious  to  preserve  property  already  acquired. 
And  this  system,  whatever  their  principles  may  be,  or 
even  supposing  they  have  no  principles  at  all,  must  ne- 
cessarily lead  them  to  prefer  a  regular  form  of  govern- 
ment, and  one  which  will  not  expose  their  persons  and 
fortunes  to  the  same  risks  all  those  possessed  with  pro- 
perty have  run  for  several  years  back  ;  and  it  is  impos- 
sible to  give  a  more  striking  picture  of  the  fluctuating 
state  in  which  this  country  has  been  during  this  period, 
than  by  telling  your  Lordship  that  ten  thousand  laws 
have  been  enacted  since  1789,  and  that  only  seventy  of 
them  are  now  in  force. 


Wednesday,  Nov.  16. — Walked  as  usual  before  break- 
fast. Theophile  Barais,  bookseller,  called  on  me  and 
Ligncreux.  Walked  to  Mousson  with  Mrs.  Elliot.  Cu- 
rious  anecdotes  of  Duke   of  Orleans — Sauzun  —  Louis 


179G.]  PARIS.  321 

d'Aremberg — the  Queen,  &c.  Belmonte  Pignatelli,  Nea- 
politan Minister,  called  upon  me  with  a  letter  from  Sir 
W.  Hamilton — great  professions  of  confidence,  &c. 


Thursday,  Nov.  17. — Galled  on  Neapolitan — saw  the 
powers  Delacroix  had  to  treat  with  him.  His  plan  of 
a  treaty,  with  the  power  to  suspend  everything  for  a 
year.  Clever  and  apparently  confidential.  Went  to 
Barais— bought  books.  To  Lignereux — bought  furniture. 
Perregaux  at  dinner. 

Saturday,  Nov.  19, — Mde.  de  Fleury.  "Wrote  to  Ellis 
through  Swinburne.  Visited  Mde.  Fleury,  who  came  to 
the  same  house  where  I  live.  Very  pleasant,  &c.  Leve- 
son  ill— sent  for  Gemm.     Supped  with  Mde.  de  Fleury. 


Sunday,  Nov.  20. — First  Frimaire.  "Walked.  Gemm 
with  Leveson — he  much  better.  Gemm  will  take  no  fees. 
At  home  in  the  evening. 


Tuesday,  Nov.  22.  —Walked  to  Clichy.  Mild  day.  M. 
and  Madame  Montrond  and  (Madame  Fleury)  dined. 
No  events.     Made  a  memorial  about  Sir  S.  Smith. 


Wednesday,  Nov.  23.  —  With  Delacroix,  &c.  Ma- 
dame Montrond  dined  with  me — Cetto,  from  Duke  de 
Deuxponts,  with  me — with  a  letter  from  Hardenberg. 


Friday,  Nov.  25. — Mde.  Montrond  at  dinner — vastly 
pleasant  and  friendly.     Timms  arrived. 


Sunday,  Nov.  27. — Writing  in  the  evening  with  Dela- 
croix. Carried  my  point  about  answer.  Singular  con- 
versation with  him.     Bad  news  from  Italy. 

VOL.  III.  Y 


322  DIARIES   AND    CORRESPONDENCE.  [1796. 


EXTKACT    OF    A  LETTER    FROM    LORD    MALMESBURY    TO 

MR.    CANNING. 

Paris,  27th  Nov.,  1796, 

All  the  private  letters  Timms  delivered  to  me  on  the 
25th,  and  more  particularly  that  from  you,  were  highly 
gratifying  to  me.  I  still  persist  that  I  should  have  roared 
too  soon,  and  without  eifect,  if  I  had  begun  to  roar  sooner  ; 
and  on  this  point  we  will  have  a  tete-d-tete  roar  over  your 
tea  and  rolls  in  Spring  Gardens,  where  I  hope  to  find  you 
established  on  my  return, 

I  cannot  pronounce  judgment  on  the  propriety  of  the 
last  despatch  I  received  till  I  hear  the  answer  the  Direc- 
tory makes  to  my  Note  :  I  am  writing  under  the  expecta- 
tion of  receiving  it  every  moment,  and  I  am  inclined  to 
think,  from  its  coming  slowly,  that  it  will  be  at  least  civil 
when  it  comes,  as  it  is  a  safe  logic  to  infer,  that  this 
Government  requires  more  time  and  reflection  to  write 
civilly,  than  to  write  as  they  did  during  our  last  conflict 
of  notes,  Delacroix  observed  that  we  were  moving  in  a 
cercle  vicieim,  and  it  is  one  of  the  best  things  he  said  ;  we 
never  shall  be  in  a  safe  and  responsible  attitude  till  we 
have  given  in  a  pi^ojH.  It  may  be  such  a  one  as  to  make 
my  retreat  from  this  country  difficult  and  dangerous,  but 
it  must  make  my  arrival  in  England  popular  and  glorious, 
and  this  is  the  great  point  to  look  forward  to.  I  shall 
write  fully  to  Mr.  Pitt  on  this  subject,  and  also  to  Lord 
Grenville. 

I  am  no  profound  jurist,  but  I  think  the  objections 
stated  to  Delacroix's  full  powers  rather  frivolous.  I  hope, 
after  what  has  passed  in  the  conversation  I  have  had 
with  him  about  it,  it  will  not  be  thought  necessary  for 
me  to  press  it  further ;  it  is  on  little  matters  that  the 
parvenus  are  sore  ;  and  the  great  advantage  I  feel  to  have 
here — I  should  say  the  only  one — is  the  having  lived 
long  and  much  in  this  world. 

Did  I  ever  tell  you  that  on  our  arrival,  Levesou  "•'  was 

*   Lord  Granville  Levesou,  tlio  j)resent  Earl  Granville. 


1796.]  PARIS.  323 

often  taken  for  Lord  Grenville,  and  Ross  for  G.  Rose  V' 
One  of  the  friendly  journalists  here,  in  speaking  of  the 
supposed  insurrection  in  Ireland,  says,  "  Geld  s'est  reduit 
d  line  levee  en  masse  des  pommes  cle  terrer  Burke's  mot 
is  too  good  a  one  ;  I  fear  it  will  not  be  forgotten,  f 
Mrs.  Crewe  wrote  to  me  the  other  day,  and  enclosed  a 
letter  from  the  Due  de  Nivernois,  in  which  she  threat- 
ens to  send  him,  through  me,  a  Cheshire  cheese.  I  beg 
you  would  direct,  therefore,  your  porters  at  the  office  to 
smell  all  parcels  brought  for  me  before  they  receive 
them.  Mr.  Legh  the  bookseller  will  send  you  one,  of 
hooks,  which  you  will  be  so  good  as  to  forward. 

Monday,  2  p.m.     28th  Nov.,  1796. 

You  will  see  I  was  not  wrong  in  my  conjectures, 
and  that  their  having  taken  near  four  and  twenty  hours 
to  write  about  four  and  twenty  words,  has  produced  a 
civil  and  tractable  Note,.  Surely  you  will  not  now  hesitate 
to  send  me  a  specific  projet  and  broad  instructions.  K  I 
am  again  to  go  on  with  Notes  and  Memorials,  /  had  better 
be  'recalled,  as  it  would  only  defeat  everything  good  which 
has  been  or  may  be  done,  and  in  the  end  force  me  to  give 
up  the  business,  and  recall  myself.  I  have  written  freely 
to  Pitt,  and  clearly  to  Lord  Grenville.  Ellis  will  support 
me  by  a  statement  of  facts  and  arguments,  and  you,  I  am 
certain,  will  side  with  me. 

The  despatch  on  internal  affairs  is  composed  and  writ- 
ten by  Leveson. 


EXTRACTS    OF    A    DESPATCH    FROM    LORD    MALMESBURY    TO 

LORD    GRENVILLE. 

Paris,  Monday,  28th  Nov.,  1796. 

Although  I  have  not,  in  my  last  despatches  made  any 
mention  of  that  part  of  my  instructions  which  relates  to 

*  Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  and  a  very  able  and  confidential  friend  of  Pitt. 

t  Burke  was  strongly  opposed  to  pacific  negotiations  with  France,  and 
taxed  the  Government  with  meanness  in  proposing  them.  Somebody 
observing  that  the  badness  of  the  roads  had  rendered  Lord  M.'s  journey  to 
Paris  a  slow  one,  he  replied,  "  no  wonder,  as  he  went  the  whole  way  on 
his  knees." 

V  2 


324  DIARIES   AND    CORRESPONDENCE.  [l79G. 

Sir  Sidney  Smith,  I  should  be  sorry  it  should  be  thought 
I  had  been  unmindful  of  them,  or  remiss  in  mj  endeavours 
to  liberate  that  gallant  officer  from  the  state  of  unjust 
confinement  in  which  he  has  so  long  remained,  and  in 
which  he  is  still  kept. 

But  before  I  went  to  the  whole  length  of  mj  orders, 
and  held  out  the  menace  of  reprisals,  I  was  willing  to  try 
every  other  means  in  my  power  to  procure  his  liberty  and 
effectuate  his  exchange. 

I  have  endeavoured  by  indirect  application  to  the 
Minister  of  the  Police,  and  to  the  Minister  for  the  Marine, 
and  to  those  who  act  under  them,  either  to  obtain  Sir 
Sidney's  release,  or  to  lessen  the  distress  of  his  situation, 
"by  procuring  for  him  leave  to  see  his  fellow-prisoner  Mr. 
Wright,'''  to  be  allowed  to  walk  in  the  Court  of  the 
Temple,  and  to  receive  such  small  comforts  and  conve- 
niences as  can  be  admitted  within  the  walls  of  a  prison. 

I  could  not  by  any  means  succeed  in  the  first  point, 
but  I  have  reason  to  hope  that  I  have,  to  a  certain  degree, 
in  the  second. 

I  understand  from  Sir  Sidney  himself,  that  he  is  com- 
fortably lodged,  and  occupies  the  same  apartments  in 
which  the  unfortunate  royal  family  of  this  country  were 
confined. 

The  most  unpleasant  circumstance  attending  his  con- 
finement is  the  character  of  his  fellow-prisoners  ;  not  from 
his  ever  being  in  their  society,  but  from  an  appreliension 
he  is  under  that  they  will  attempt  to  force  their  way  out 
of  prison,  and  expose  him  equally  to  imminent  danger, 
whether  he  acts  with  them,  or  refuses  to  join  them. 
Something  of  this  kind  happened  to  him  when  the  asso- 
ciates of  Baboeuf  t  were  in  the  Temple,  and  Sir  Sidney 
was  at  that  time  saved  by  siding  with  the  keepers,  and 
coutril)uting  to  suppress  the  riot. 

After,  however,  having  exhausted  every  means  within 
my   reach    short    of    official    interference,    and    having 

*  A  brave  officer,  who  distinguit?lied  himself  ^voiitly  at  tlio  siogc  of  Acre. 
He  was  again  taken  in  1804,  again  imprisoned  in  tlie  Temple,  and  found 
dead  in  liis  cell  under  strong  appearances  of  foul  play. 

t  Jac(d)iiis  who  had  conspired  against  the  Directory. 


1796.]  PARIS.  325 

let  near  a  montli  elapse  without  receiving  any  answer 
to  mj  official  Note  on  this  subject,  I,  on  Wednesday 
last,  gave  in  a  JMemorial,  which  is  in  substance  nearly 
the  contents  of  your  Lordship's  despatch  on  this  subject. 

On  delivering  it  to  M.  Delacroix,  I  accompanied  it 
with  all  those  arguments  which  so  naturally  suggest 
themselves  on  this  occasion,  and  I  spared  no  pains  to 
impress  his  mind  with  the  equity  of  my  demand,  and 
with  the  very  unpleasant  consequences  which  would 
necessarily  attend  its  not  being  complied  with. 

The  French  Minister  told  me,  as  he  had  done  before, 
that  this  was  out  of  his  department ;  that  he  was  igno- 
rant of  the  motives  which  induced  the  Directory  to  pro- 
long the  confinement  of  Sir  Sidney  Smith ;  that  he  had 
laid  my  last  Note  before  them,  and  would  immediately  do 
the  same  by  this,  I  urged  him  very  strongly  to  obtain 
an  early  answer  to  it,  as  it  would  be  quite  impossible  to 
delay  the  execution  of  the  principle  of  retaliation  I  held 
out,  a  principle  they  must  be  conscious  their  own  conduct 
compelled  us  to  adopt, 

I  have  as  yet  no  answer  to  my  ]\Iemorial,  but  as  Mr. 
Swinburne  is  promised  leave  to  see  Sir  Sidney,  I  am  not 
without  some  faint  hopes  that  it  will  be  attended  to,  and 
that  it  will  not  be  necessary  to  take  a  step  which,  from 
the  irritable  and  jealous  complexion  of  this  Government, 
would,  I  should  fear,  tend  to  a  general  ill-treatment  of 
all  our  prisoners,  without  any  benefit  resulting  from  it  to 
Sir  Sidney. 

I  have,  &c.  Malmesburt. 


DESPATCH    FROM    LORD    MALMESBURY   TO    LORD    GRENVILLE. 

Paris,  Monday,  28th  Nov.,  1796, 

]\Iy  Lord, — The  Government  of  this  country  being 
very  strongly  prepossessed  with  an  opinion,  that  the  real 
purport  of  my  ]\Iission  here  was  to  make  observations 
upon  the  state  of  their  internal  aifairs,  and,  if  I  found  the 
opportunity,  to  foment  troubles,  or  at  least  to  encourage 
existing  discontents,  has  made  it  peculiarly  incumbent 


326  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [l796. 

upon  me  to  observe  such  a  guarded  line  of  conduct  as 
should  remove  entirely  these  suspicions,  the  continuance 
of  which  might  be  very  prejudicial  to  the  attainment  of 
the  main  object  in  view.  On  this  account,  my  means  of 
informing  myself  with  respect  to  the  state  of  parties,  the 
strength  of  the  Government,  and  the  general  sentiments 
of  the  people,  are  much  circumscribed ;  and  I  must,  there- 
fore, still  write  with  great  diffidence  upon  these  subjects, 
and  again  request  your  Lordship  to  consider  my  observa- 
tions upon  them  as  not  altogether  to  be  relied  on. 

I  have,  in  a  former  despatch,  endeavoured  to  give  some 
account  of  the  three  different  divisions  of  persons  who,  at 
the  present  moment,  are  contending  for  power.  It  appears 
that  the  individuals  of  each  of  them  may,  from  personal 
considerations,  be  induced  to  support  those  who,  at  the 
present  moment,  hold  the  reins  of  government ;  yet,  as 
parties,  they  are  by  no  means  under  the  influence  of  the 
Directory.  The  Conventionalists  have  of  late  evinced 
strong  disapprobation  of  the  measures  offered  by  the 
Directory  for  the  adoption  of  the  Councils.  One  message 
in  particular,  in  which  was  advised  a  further  restraint 
upon  the  liberty  of  the  press,  and  which  was  referred  to 
a  committee  of  the  Council  of  Five  Hundred,  was  cen- 
sured with  much  asperity  in  the  report  made  by  Dauuon, 
a  man  of  considerable  talents,  and  at  the  head  of  ihe 
party  of  the  Conventionalists.  These  are  the  remnants 
of  the  faction  of  the  Gironde.  They  are  sincere  friends 
to  the  present  form  of  this  Constitution,  and  well  know- 
ing that  the  general  enthusiasm  in  favour  of  a  Republic 
has  evaporated,  and  that  the  odium  which  of  late  has 
been  attached  to  Royalism  is  gradually  diminishing,  every 
proposal  of  moderation  and  humanity  (such,  for  instance, 
as  the  repeal  of  the  law  of  the  3rd  Brumairc)  made  by 
Thibaudeau,  and  the  other  leaders  of  les  HonnHes  Gens, 
is  warmly  opposed  by  them,  under  the  impression  that  if 
the  people  are  left  with  a  perfectly  free  choice  at  the  ap- 
proaching elections,  and  that  if  coercive  measures  are  not 
rigorously  enforced,  in  order  to  give  solidity  to  their  new- 
formed  constitution,  lioyalty  may  again  l)e  re-estal)lished. 
The  opposition  of  tlie  Conventionalists,  therefore,  is  chiefly 


1796.]  PARIS.  327 

directed  against  the  Moderes  or  Honnetes  Gens  ;  but  the 
Jacobins  inspire  them  also  with  considerable  alarm,  and 
on  that  account  thej  very  willingly  assented  in  the  Coun- 
cil of  Five  Hundred  to  the  amendment  of  the  Loi  3  Bru- 
maire,  which  adds  the  amnesties  to  the  list  of  the  ex- 
cluded, and  which,  if  carried  in  the  Council  of  Ancients, 
would  be  a  very  serious  blow  to  the  power  of  the  Jacobin 
faction.  There,  however,  it  will  probably  be  rejected. 
Many  of  the  Modere  party,  and  among  them  Dupont  de 
Nemours, '""  have  opposed  its  adoption  from  a  fear  of  sanc- 
tioning the  principle  of  exclusion.  In  point  of  numbers 
the  faction  of  the  Jacobins  is  not  formidable,  either  within 
or  without  the  Councils  ;  but  they  compensate,  in  some 
degree,  for  this  disadvantage  by  the  concert  with  which 
they  act,  and  by  the  daring  courage  with  which  they 
execute  their  projects.  They,  as  well  as  the  Royalists, 
are  daily  gaining  strength  from  the  increasing  unpopu- 
larity of  the  Government.  That  unpopularity  may  be 
attributed  to  the  misfortunes  that  have  of  late  attended 
all  their  military  operations,  to  the  weight  of  oppressive 
taxes  that  have  been  imposed,  to  the  total  inability  of 
Government  to  pay  even  their  own  functionaries,  who,  in 
common  with  the  creditors  of  the  Nation,  under  the 
different  denominations  of  Rentiers  and  Yiagers,  are 
actually  without  the  means  of  subsistence,  but  whose 
solicitations  for  relief  are  totally  disregarded  ;  and  to  the 
want  of  sincerity,  which  people  here  in  general  seem  in- 
clined to  think  the  Directory  have  betrayed  in  the  opening 
of  the  negotiation  for  the  restoration  of  a  general  peace. 

The  Directory  have,  within  these  two  days,  subjected 
themselves  to  much  censure  by  the  wanton  cruelty  they 
have  exercised  towards  a  M.  de  Cussy,  a  poor  emigrant  ; 
he  was  tried  in  the  most  summary  manner,  according  to 
a  law  which,  since  Robespierre's  overthrow,  has  not  been 
acted  upon,  and  was  immediately  after  the  trial  con- 
ducted to  the  guillotine.  This  unusual  severity  seems, 
however,  to  have  been  very  repugnant  to  the  feelings  of 

*  Du2:)ont  de  Nemours,  qui  conservoit  dans  un  age  avance  une  grande 
vivacite  d'liumcnr,  ot  montroit  I'oppoRition  la  plus  liardie  au  Gouverncment 
actucL— (Thiers.) 


328  DIARIES  AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [l79G. 

the  people  in  general.  Your  Lordship  will  observe  that 
many  of  the  journalists  have  reprobated,  in  the  strongest 
language,  this  sanguinary  measure  of  the  Directory,  and 
the  disgust  it  created  may  be  considered  as  a  further 
proof  of  the  change  that  has  taken  place  in  the  dispo- 
sitions and  opinions  of  the  public. 

Of  these  Mr.  Ellis  will  probal)ly  have  given  your 
Lordship  more  detailed  accounts  ;  I  will  therefore  content 
myself  with  observing,  that  ever  since  his  departure  the 
dissatisfied  venture  to  shew  themselves  with  still  less 
reserve,  that  the  Government  is  more  openly  attacked, 
and  that  those  in  power  evidently  betray  how  much  they 
feel  the  embarrassment  of  the  situation  in  which  they  are 
l^laced.  I  cannot,  however,  pretend  to  foretell  which 
party  will  at  last  obtain  the  superiority ;  I  am  inclined  to 
think  less  favourably  of  the  stability  of  the  present  con- 
stitution than  upon  my  first  arrival.  The  police  of  this 
capital  at  that  moment  I  had  understood  to  be  perfect, 
but  it  now  appears  that  they  are  totally  unable  to  put  a 
stop  to  the  depredations  which  are  nearly  every  night 
committed  by  gangs  of  robbers,  who  are  said  to  be  more 
numerous  than  ever.  It  is  reported  that  the  Fauxbourg 
St.  Antoine,  which  has  always  made  itself  remarkable  for 
its  revolutionary  spirit,  has  of  late  shewn  symptoms  of 
much  fermentation  ;  that  the  Jacobins  are  concentrating 
their  forces  at  Paris,  and  are  daily  introducing  their 
associates  from  the  Departments;  it  appears,  therefore, 
that  it  is  extremely  doubtful  how  long  this  city  may  con- 
tinue to  enjoy  the  same  quiet  and  tranquillity  that  has 
reigned  ever  since  my  arrival  in  this  country. 

It  will  not  be  foreign  to  the  subject  of  this  despatch  to 
inform  your  Lordship  that  the  author  of  a  little  pamplilet, 
addressed  to  me,  and  which  I  forwarded  to  your  Lordship 
by  the  last  messenger,  is  a  man  of  the  name  of  Este,  son 
to  a  well-known  clergyman  of  that  name,  who  is,  I  believe, 
editor  of  a  newspaper  called  the  Telegraph.  He  is  living 
here  with  Lady  S  "'' '"''  '"  '''%  wife  to  the  notorious  Sir  R. 
S  "'•"  ''•  '"'  ■"' ;  two  more  of  his  brothers,  I  understand,  are 
lately  arrived  from  England ;  they  are  all  in  close  connex- 
ion  with  T.  Paine,  who  at  present   is  very   much  dis- 


1796.]  PARIS.  329 

tressed  in  circumstances,  has  little  or  no  influence  in  the 
country,  and  who  declares  himself  to  be  highly  discon- 
tented with  the  new  Constitution.  I  have  been  informed, 
also,  that  an  Englishman  of  the  name  of  Parry  is  esta- 
blished at  Calais,  that  he  is  employed  by  the  Minister 
of  Exterior  Relations,  and  keeps  up  a  communication 
with  the  Courier  office  in  London. 

I  have,  &c.         Malmesbury. 


DESrATCH    FROM    LORD    MALMESBURY    TO    LORD    GRENVILLE. 

Paris,  28  Nov.  1796. 

My  Lord, — A  few  days  ago  a  M.  Clarke,  descended  from 
Irish  parents,  but  himself  born  in  France,  was  sent  from 
hence  from  the  Directory  to^  the  army  in  Italy,  with 
orders,  as  I  have  good  authority  to  believe,  to  proceed 
after  a  conference  with  Buonaparte  to  Vienna. 

M.  Clarke  was  in  the  regiment  of  Hussars  belonging 
to  the  Duke  de  Chartres,  and  was  in  England  with  the 
Duke  of  Orleans  in  1789,  or  1790.  He  has  now  the 
rank  of  General ;  he  has  not  seen  any  actual  service, 
but  has  been  employed  in  the  War  Department  under 
Carnot,  whose  confidential  secretary  and  adviser  he  is  sup- 
posed to  be.  M.  Clarke  is  about  thirty,  of  good  address 
and  manner,  as  I  am  told,  and  perfectly  acquainted  with 
all  the  secrets  of  the  Directory,  as  far  as  they  are  known 
to  Carnot,  and,  whatever  may  be  the  purport  of  his  Mis- 
sion, it  is  undertaken  on  the  suggestion  of  this  member 
of  the  Directory. 

Its  avowed  motive  is  to  propose  an  armistice,'"'  and  that 
after  having  effected  this  object  in  Lombardy,  he  is  to  go 
to  the  armies  on  the  Rhine  for  the  same  purpose.  But  I 
believe  I  can  venture  to  say,  that  he  is  charged  with  a 
special  commission  to  endeavour  to  engage  the  Court  of 
Vienna  to  make  a  separate  peace,  and  that  his  instruc- 

*  Clarke  was  also  sent  by  tlie  Directory  to  report  upon  Buonaparte's 
proceedings.  It  was  already  jealous  of  his  ftinie.  Buonaparte  knew  this, 
and,  being  prepared  for  the  visit,  had  no  difficulty  in  attaching  Clarke  to  his 
interest. 


330  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [l796. 

tions  are  so  extensive,  that  it  is  left  almost  to  his  discre- 
tion to  throw  any  possible  temptation  in  the  way,  short 
of  the  retrocession  of  the  Low  Countries,  to  effect  this 
object. 

I  am  also  told,  that  the  Court  of  Madrid  unites  its 
efforts  to  those  of  this  Government,  and  that  the  most 
positive  orders  have  been  sent  to  the  Spanish  Ambas- 
sador at  Vienna,  to  use  every  means  in  his  power  to 
induce  the  Emperor  to  separate  from  the  Allies. 

I  hear  no  news  from  the  Mediterranean,  except  that 
the  whole  of  the  Spanish  fleet  is  at  Toulon,  that  it  was 
not  well  received  there,  from  Ijeing  under  the  command 
of  the  same  Admiral  who  was  there  with  Lord  Hood, 
that  the  Spanish  sailors  are  averse  to  the  war,  and  dis- 
inclined to  fight,  and  that  many  of  the  officers  unite  in 
their  opinion,  and  I  know  full  well  that  very  little  con- 
fidence is  placed  here  in  the  operations  of  this  fleet. 

The  Prussian  Minister  has  lately  been  frequently  with 
the  leading  members  of  this  Government,  but  as  he  is 
very  much  in  the  habit  of  seeing  them  I  do  not  infer 
anything  more  from  this  than  that  a  general  confidential 
intercourse  subsists  between  the  two  countries,  and  that 
no  pains  are  spared  by  this  to  make  His  Prussian  Ma- 
jesty act  in  conformity  to  their  own  interests. 


EXTRACTS    OF    A    DESPATCH    FROM    LORD    MALMESBURY   TO 

LORD  GRENVILLE. 

Paris,  28tli  Nov.,  1706. 

I  HAD  the  honour  to  receive,  on  Friday  last,  the  2.'3th, 
at  7  P.M.,  your  Lordship's  despatch  of  the  22nd  inst.  by 
Timms. 

It  is  with  the  highest  satisfaction  that  I  learn  His 
Majesty  is  most  graciously  pleased  to  approve  my  con- 
duct hitherto. 

The  morning  after  the  arrival  of  the  messenger  (Sa- 
turday the  2()th),  r  was  with  M.  Delacroix,  and  the 
conversation  which  ardge  on  my  giving  the  Note  I  had 


1796.]  PARIS.  331 

your  Lordship's  instructions  to  deliver  in,  was  the  longest 
and  most  interesting  that  has  ever  taken  place  between  us. 

After  expressing  his  satisfaction  at  the  conciliatory 
terms  in  which  the  Xote  was  drawn  up,  M.  Delacroix 
lamented  that  it  left  the  negotiation  just  where  it  was ; 
that  it  contained  no  new  proposals,  no  appearance  of  an 
inclination  to  comply  with  their  request. 

M.  Delacroix  went  on  for  some  time  in  this  strain, 
and  seemed  very  anxious  I  should  not  interrupt  him 
till  he  had  stated  all  his  reasons  for  asserting,  that 
we  were  not  advanced  a  single  step  in  the  negotiation 
since  the  first  day  of  my  seeing  him.  On  deducing  his 
arguments  to  substantiate  this,  he  brought  in  a  great  deal 
of  matter  widely  foreign  to  the  purpose,  and  talked  with 
much  emphasis  on  the  impression  our  conduct  had  made 
on  the  different  Courts  of  Europe,  who  were  all  inclined 
to  suppose  England  insincere  in  its  wishes  for  peace,  and 
that  he  was  afraid  the  Directory  would  now  undoubtedly 
think  the  same. 

I  thought  it  by  no  means  necessary  to  follow  him 
through  the  very  extensive  ground  that  he  had  gone  over; 
and  without  admitting  or  refuting  anything  he  had  said, 
which  appeared  to  me  as  not  directly  applicable  to  the 
question  before  us,  I  brought  him  closely  to  the  point  by 
asking  whether  I  had  ever,  either  in  conversation  or  in 
my  official  Notes,  varied  my  language,  or  whether  the  evi- 
dent object  of  both  was  not  to  know  whether  the  Exe- 
cutive Directory  would,  or  would  not,  accept  a  principle 
we  had  stated  to  them  in  very  precise  and  unequivocal 
terms  as  the  basis  of  a  future  negotiation.  To  this  no 
distinct  answer  had  ever  yet  been  given;  and  till  this 
answer  was  distinctly  made,  it  could  not  be  expected  we 
should  vary  our  language,  unless  it  was  supposed  we 
could  vary  our  system  ;  that  the  imputation  of  delay, 
therefore,  did  not  belong  to  England,  but  to  France,  and 
that  it  remained  with  them  to  give  activity  to  the  nego- 
tiation, or  to  stifle  it  at  once.  I  said  this,  I  am  sure, 
with  temper,  and  I  believe  with  steadiness  ;  for  the  imme- 
diate answer  it  produced  from  M.  Delacroix  was,  that 
it  appeared   to  him    that    an   acknowledgment   of  this 


832  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [l796. 

principle  was  implied  in  the  answer  made  bj  the  Direc- 
tory to  the  last  i\Iemorial  I  had  ever  given  in.  I  replied 
instantly,  that  if  that  was  really  the  case,  there  surely 
could  be  no  difficulty  in  expressing  now  precisely  and 
positively  what,  if  it  was  conveyed  at  all  in  the  paper 
he  referred  to,  was  certainly  conveyed  in  obscure  and 
dubious  terms. 

M.  Delacroix,  passing  over  what  I  said,  asked  me,  as 
he  once  had  done  before,  if  I  acknowledged  the  integrity 
of  the  French  Republic.  I  said  certainly,  as  he  did  that 
of  the  British  Empire.  "And  you  surely,^'  said  he,  "  would 
not  come  here  without  being  perfectly  acquainted  with 
the  constitution  of  the  Republic."  As  I  saw  the  drift 
of  his  question  I  waived  a  direct  answer  ;  but  he  went  on 
and  said,  "  You  knew  that  by  our  constitution  we  cannot, 
without  referring  to  the  primary  assemblies,  dismember 
any  of  the  integral  parts  of  the  Republic.  The  Directory 
is  only  a  Mandatoiix  of  the  Republic,  as  I  am  a  Manda- 
toire  of  the  Directory.  We  cannot  act  as  sovereigns."  I 
told  him  that  I  really  Avas  not  prepared  to  discuss  with 
him  either  the  particular  principles  of  this  government,  or 
those  of  governments  in  general ;  that  we  were  not  yet 
far  enough  advanced  in  our  work  to  make  this  at  all 
necessary,  and  I  begged  leave  to  bring  back  his  attention 
to  the  subject  immediately  before  us,  and  to  request  of 
him  to  lay  my  Note,  I  had  just  given  him,  before  the 
Directory,  and  to  transmit  to  me  an  early  answer.  M. 
Delacroix  persevered  in  repeating,  no  answer  different 
from  those  already  given  could  be  expected,  and  that 
he  was  persuaded  such  would  be  the  opinion  of  the 
Directory.  I  said  that  I  could  not  but  suppose  that  if 
the  Directory  agreed  in  opinion  with  him,  and  admitted, 
that,  in  their  former  answer,  they  did  intend  (though 
certai»ly  it  was  not  expressed)  to  accept  the  principle 
we  had  laid  down,  there  could  not  exist  a  motive  (except 
it  was  to  be  looked  for  in  a  total  disinclination  to  enter 
into  a  pacific  negotiation)  to  prevent  them  from  their 
now  declaring  their  intention  so  to  do,  in  words  Avliich 
could  not  be  misunderstood,  particularly  as  the  admission 
of  the  principle  would  not  pledge  them  to  anything  specific. 


1796.]  PARIS.  333 

M.  Delacroix  was  very  eager  to  couvince  me  of  the 
sincerity  of  their  wish  for  peace  ;  he  went  deep  into  the 
subject ;  said  the  Eepublic  by  no  means  wished  to  keep 
all  its  conquests,  and  that  he  was  sure  he  and  I  should 
conclude  a  treaty  of  peace  in  live  days,  provided  England 
did  not  require  anything  in  contradiction  to  tlie  principles 
of  its  Constitution.  I  was  determined,  though  I  perfectly 
saw  his  meaning,  not  to  give  in  to  his  views,  or  to  aiford 
him  an  opportunity  of  mentioning  the  Austrian  Netlier- 
lands,  or,  as  they  are  called  here,  the  Kine  Annexed  De- 
partments of  Belgium.  I  therefore  always  brought  him 
back  to  the  original  point,  and  to  the  necessity  of  the 
Directory  choosing  (before  any  further  discussion  was 
entered  upon)  one  of  the  modes  proposed  in  my  Note  for 
establishing  a  basis  on  which  the  subsequent  treaty  was 
to  rest.  He  promised  me  to  lay  it,  without  loss  of  time, 
before  the  Directory,  and  thus  our  conference  ended. 

Yesterday,  at  three  o'clock,  I  received  the  enclosed 
answer  (A),  which  I  immediately  acknowledged  by  the 
enclosure  (B).  Your  Lordship  will  perceive,  notwith- 
standing what  M.  Delacroix  affirmed,  that  it  is  an 
unqualified  acceptation  on  the  part  of  the  Directory  of 
the  principle  we  have  laid  doAvn  ;  and  I  hope,  in  having 
obtained  this  acceptation  in  so  positive  and  formal  a 
manner,  that  I  shall  have  performed  a  very  essential  part 
of  my  duty,  and  removed  the  only  obstruction  which 
stood  in  the  way  of  our  coming  forward  immediately 
with  distinct  and  specific  proposals  for  a  general  paci- 
fication. 

M.  Delacroix  took  a  survey  of  all  Europe,  and,  after 
speaking  of  the  partition  of  Poland,  the  alarming  increase 
of  the  power  of  Russia,  and  the  ambition  of  the  Empress, 
the  insignificancy  of  Sweden,  Denmark,  and  even  Holland, 
said  he  really  did  not  see  how  it  was  possible,  without 
establishing  a  new  order  of  things,  to  restore  the  balance 
of  Europe  on  its  ancient  footing,  and  such  as  it  was  settled 
at  the  Treaty  of  IVIiinster.  He  said  it  could  not  be  ex- 
pected that  the  French  Republic  should  see  with  indif- 
ference the  aggrandizement  of  the  other  great  Powers  of 
Europe,   and  not  for  its  own  security,  and  that  of  its 


334  DIARIES   AND    CORRESPONDENCE.  [l796. 

Allies  expect  also  to  be  aggrandized.  The  banks  of  the 
Rhine,  he  said,  were  its  natural  limits  :  and  on  mj  ex- 
pressing a  mixture  of  surprise  and  disapprobation,  he  said, 
"  England  and  France  have  two  verj  diiferent  and  distinct 
pursuits.  Commerce  is  your  empire.  It  is  to  be  founded 
in  the  Indies  and  in  your  Colonies.  But  as  for  France/' 
subjoined  he,  "  I  should  be  better  pleased  with  an  addi- 
tion of  four  villages  on  the  frontiers  of  the  Republic,  than 
b}^  the  acquisition  of  the  richest  island  among  the  Antilles, 
and  should  be  even  sorry  to  see  Pondicherry  and  Chande- 
nagore  again  belonging  to  France."  He  then  got  upon 
what  is  one  of  his  favourite  topics,  and  which  he  always 
puts  in  opposition  to  our  conquests  in  the  West  Indies, 
by  calling  it  la  Conqucte  d'un  esprit  de  Uherte,  viz.,  the 
affranchisement  of  the  negroes.  This,  he  said,  would  very 
soon  deprive  Europe  of  its  possessions  in  those  parts,  and 
subdue  all  the  Colonies.  I  said  destroy  not  subdue, 
appeared  to  be  the  proper  term,  and  that  the  evil  result- 
ing from  their  adoption  of  this  measure  had  been  full,  at 
least,  as  much  felt  by  them  as  by  any  of  their  enemies.'"" 
From  this  point  he  went  to  the  difficulty  of  defining  com- 
pensations proportionelles^  how  the  retrocessions  or  ex- 
changes were  to  be  made  in  commensurate  quantities,  and 
started  numberless  obstacles,  either  because  he  really  con- 
sidered them  as  such,  or  because  he  wished  to  make  it 
appear  so  to  me  ;  but  I  thought  it  wiser  to  be  a  listener 
than  to  bear  any  share  in  this  conversation,  and  I  only 
said  occasionally  enough  to  encourage  him  to  go  on. 

All  this  passed  in  perfect  good -humour,  and  I  insert  it 
here,  more  to  give  an  adequate  idea  of  my  fellow  Plenipo- 
tentiary, than  Avith  a  view  that  any  inference  can  or  ought 
to  be  drawn  from  it.  M.  Delacroix  was  a  disciple  of 
Turgot,t  one  of  whose  leading  principles  was,  that  France 

*  Soon  afterwards  Jacobin  emissaries  from  France  stirred  up  the  blacks 
of  San  Domingo  (lier  only  remaining  colony)  to  cmanci]>ate  themselves. 
They  rose  against  the  wliite  popnlation,  laid  waste  the  island,  and  connnitted 
atrocities  too  horrible  for  description.  Licence,  imder  the  mask  of  liberty, 
could  not  generate  freedom,  and  France  "  dtstroifccV  her  colony. 

+  Turgot,  Minister  of  Finance  under  Louis  XVI.  He  died  1781, 
aged  54. 

The  virtuous  IVIalesherbcs  wrote  of  Turgot  and  himself,  "  Nous  ^tions 
fort  honnetes  gens,  tres  instruits,  passion^s  pour  le  bien.     Cependant  nous 


179(5.]  PARIS.  335 

would  be  greater  and  happier  l)y  employing  all  its  industry 
within  its  own  limits,  and  that  colonial  possessions  were 
detrimental  both  to  its  interests  and  power. 

I  shall  conclude  this  very  voluminous  despatch  with 
remarking  that  it  is  evident,  beyond  a  doubt,  that  the 
arrangement  relative  to  the  Austrian  Netherlands  will  be 
the  g7^eat  point  on  which  this  country  will  make  a  stand. 
On  every  other,  whether  it  relates  to  possessions  we  may 
have  taken  from  them,  or  those  we  have  taken  or  may 
still  take  from  their  Allies,  they  will  be  much  less  difficult 
to  treat,  and  this  l)ecause  the  large  majority  of  the  country 
now  think  as  Turgot  taught,  and  as  Delacroix  believes. 

It  is  also  the  Austrian  Netherlands  (Belgium)  that  has 
made  them  so  averse  to  avow  their  acceptation  of  the 
basis  of  negotiation  we  proposed. 

To  admit,  therefore,  our  principle,  would  be  tacitly 
admitting  an  intention  of  restoring,  or,  at  least,  treating 
about  Belgium,  and  I  have  no  doubt  but  many  of  the  jour- 
nalists will  attack  their  answer  to  me  under  this  suppo- 
sition. It  was  to  prevent  my  interpreting  it  in  the  same 
way,  and  my  being  led  to  believe  that  the}^  had  relaxed 
on  this  particular  point,  from  which  they  have  so  repeat- 
edly asserted  they  cannot  and  will  not  deviate,  that  M. 
Delacroix  so  often  attempted  to  induce  me  to  commit 
myself  by  drawing  me  into  a  conversation  on  this  point, 
and  by  talking  of  the  Rhine  for  the  boundary,  and  the 
necessity  of  the  aggrandizement  of  France. 


INCLOSURES. 

(A.) 

M.    DELACROIX    TO    LORD    MALMESBURY. 

Paris,  ce  7  Frimairc,  an  5. 

En  r^ponse  a  la  Note  remise  hier  26  Nov.,  6  Frimaire, 
par  le  Lord  JMalmesbury,  le  Soussigne  JVIinistre  des  Rela- 
tions Ext^rieures  est  charge  par  le  Directoire  Ex^cutif 

avons  mal  administre,  ne  connoissants  Ics  liommes  que  par  les  livres,  et  sans 
le  vouloir,  ni  le  prevoir,  nous  avons  contribue  a  la  Revolution." 


336  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [l79C. 

d'observer  que  les  r^ponses  faites  les  5  et  22  Brumaire 
dernier  reiifermoient  la  reconiioissance  dii  priucipe  de 
compensation,  et  que  pour  oter  tout  pr^texte  a  discussion 
ult^rieure  sur  ce  point,  le  Soussigne,  au  nom  du  Direc- 
toire  Executif,  en  fait  encore  la  declaration  formelle  et 
positive.  En  consequence  le  Lord  ^lalmesbury  est  de 
nouveau  invitt^  a  donner  une  reponse  prompte  et  cath6- 
gorique  a  la  proposition  qui  lui  a  ^t6  faite  le  22  Bru- 
maire dernier,  et  qui  est  con^ue  en  ces  termes  :  Le  Sous- 
sic/ne  est  charcje  par  le  Directoire  Executif  de  vous  in- 
I'iter  a  dcsioue?',  dans  le  plus  court  dtlai,  et  iiominative- 
ment,  les  objets  de  compensation  rcciproque  que  vous  pro- 
posez.  (Sign^)  Ch.  Delacroix. 


LORD    MALMESBURY    TO    M.  DELACROIX. 

A  Paris,  ce  27  Nov.,  1796. 

Le  Soussign6,  Ministre  Plenipotentiaire  de  Sa  j\L^jest6 
Britannique,  en  reponse  a  la  Xote  en  date  de  ce  matin, 
laquelle  lui  a  ^te  remise  de  la  part  du  Ministre  des  Rela- 
tions Ext^rieures,  s'empresse  de  lui  assurer,  qu'il  ne  tar- 
dera  pas  un  moment  de  la  communiquer  a  sa  Cour,  dont 
il  doit  n^cessairement  attendre  des  Ordres  Ulterieurs, 
avant  de  pouvoir  s'expliquer  sur  les  points  importants 
qu'elle  renferme, 

(Sign^)  Malmesbury. 


]\IoxDAY,  Nov.  28. — Writing.     "Wiifen  went  awaj  at  4 
-sent  fruit-trees  bj  him,  and  books. 


Thursday,  Pec.  1. — Frost  began.  "Walk.  Play — au 
Theatre  de  la  Cite.  "•  Comite  revolutionnaire.'"  Singular 
play.  Perregaux  told  me  that  22,000  sacks  of  flour  were 
consumed  daily  in  Paris,  each  sack  containing  310  lbs. 
The  French  pound  is  to  the  English  as  15  is  to  16. 


1706.]  PARIS.  337 

Dec.  2. — Dr.  Gemm — breakfast— always  harping  on 
his  philosophy — told  me  meat  costs  8  French  sous  per 
pound,  and  bread  very  cheap  —  a  poularde  4f.  10s. 
Madame  Philidor '"  wants  a  pension  for  her  husband 
from  the  Chess  Club.  Dressins  returned  from  Vienna  at 
11  r.M. 


EXTRACT   OF    A    DESPATCH    FROM    LORD    MALMESBURY    TO 

LORD    GREXVILLE. 

Paris,  3rd  Dec,  1796. 

I  AM  very  sorry  that  the  very  favourable  hopes  enter- 
tained for  several  days  here  on  the  first  successes  of  the 
Austrians  as  they  approached  the  Adige,  have  again  been 
frustrated.  Xo  other  accounts  have  been  received  here 
but  by  the  Directory,  and  the.se  are  .stated  in  the  printed 
official  papers  I  enclose.  There  can,  however,  be  no 
doubt  but  that  Buonaparte  exaggerates  his  victory,t 
even  if  it  deserves  that  name  ;  that  his  loss  must  have 
been  immen.se ;  and  that  the  event  of  this  very  bloody 
battle  dees  not  so  immediately  lead  to  the  reduction  of 
Mantua  as  he  a.sserts. 

General  Alvinzi  is  retired  no  further  than  Yincenza. 
General  Davidovich  still  maintains  the  strong  post  of  the 
Corona,  and  though  their  plan  of  junction  and  getting 
between  Buonaparte's  army  and  Mantua  has  failed  this 
time,  yet  as  large  reinforcements  are  daily  expected  from 
Austria,  and  as  the  French  have  certainly  sent  all  those 
they  can  send  to  that  army,  the  affairs  of  Lombardy 
cannot  as  yet  be  considered  as  quite  desperate,  although 
certainlv  in  a  much  worse  condition  than  I  thought  them 
to  be,  when  I  began  writing  by  my  last  messenger. 

*  Widow  of  Philidor,  the  famous  chess-player.     He  died  1795,  aged  80. 

t  Of  Areola,  17th  November.  Buonaparte  defeated  General  Alvinzi, 
and  prevented  his  relieving  Mantua.  The  battle  of  Rivoli,  on  the  14th 
January,  decided  the  fate  of  Italy,  and  Mantua  surrendered  to  the  French 
on  the  2nd  Febmarv,  1797. 


VOL.  111. 


33b  DIARIES  AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [  179G. 

Sunday,  Dec.  4. — The  play — "Tartuffe  and  le  Cercle" — 
Fleury  acted  the  Tartuffe  moderately — Madlle.  Contat 
the  wife  inimitably.  "  Cercle"  out  of  date  and  not  in  the 
present  manners. 

Wednesday,  Dec.  7. — Walk  to  Pont  de  Neuilly — Bois 
de  Boulogne,  Bagatelle,  &c.  Bagatelle  very  pretty.  M. 
de  Praslin's  house  on  the  Seine  at  Neuilly.  Madlle. 
Dugazon — "Les  Fran^ais  ne  disent  plus  ouff!' 


EXTRACTS    OF    A    LETTER    FROM    LORD    GRENVILLE    TO 
LORD    MALMESBURY. 

.      Cleveland  Row,  lOtli  Dec.,  1796. 

Mr.  Ellis,  who  returns  to  you  to-morrow  with  the  in- 
structions which  have  been  prepared  in  consequence  of 
your  last  despatches,  will  be  able  to  state  to  you  verbally 
the  little  which  is  to  be  added  to  them.  I  flatter  myself 
they  will  be  found  so  full  that  nothing  can  be  Avanting 
to  forward  the  negotiation,  except  a  disposition  on  the 
part  of  the  Directory,  which  I  am  persuaded  does  not 
exist,  though  the  public  opinion  at  Paris  may  force  them 
to  go  great  lengths  in  appearances.  You  will  observe  that 
we  are  very  strongly  impressed  with  the  impossibility  of 
listening  to  any  idea  of  leaving  the  Netherlands  to  France, 
and,  indeed,  I  must  say  that  without  carrying  our  point, 
at  least  to  the  extent  of  obliging  France  to  relinquish 
that  possession,  I  do  not  see  what  solid  advantage  Eng- 
land would  gain  by  a  treaty  which  must  contain  the 
sacrifice  of  so  many  conquests. 

I  do  not  say  more  to  you  in  my  public  letter  about 
intelligence,  because  I  do  not  like  to  controvert  Avhat  I 
strongly  feel,  the  necessity  of  great  caution  in  your  situa- 
tion. But  on  the  other  hand,  the  importance  of  the  ob- 
ject is  such,  that  something  nuist  be  risked  for  it,  and  we 
should  both  of  us  blame  ourselves  if  your  Mission  should 
terminate  al^ruptly,  without  your  having  established  some 
means  of  our  being  better  served  in  that  respect  than  we 


1796.]  PARIS.  339 

have  hitherto  been.  I  have  also  desired  Mr.  Ellis  to 
mention  to  you  very  particularly  the  necessity  of  fre- 
quent communication  (at  least  once  a  week),  in  order  to 
keep  us  informed  of  what  is  passing  on  the  Continent 
now  that  the  Elbe  is  frozen,  and  will  probably  continue 
so  with  very  short  intervals  till  February  or  March.  Do 
not  forget  that  Paris  may  be  our  only  channel  of  commu- 
nication, and  therefore  do  not  omit  anything  interesting 
from  any  quarter  on  the  supposition  that  we  already 
know  it. 


EXTRACTS    OF    A    DESPATCH    FROM    LORD    GREXVILLE    TO 
LORD     MALMESBURY. 

Downing  Street,  Dec.  lltli,  1796. 

I  SHALL  proceed,  by  His  Majesty's  commands,  to  make 
to  your  Lordship  such  observations  as  now  appear  neces- 
sary. •» 

The  restitution  of  the  Emperor's  dominions,  on  the 
footing  of  the  status  ante  helium,  is  stipulated  in  His 
Majest/s  engagements"''  with  the  Emperor  as  the  con- 
dition without  which  His  Majesty  is  not  at  liberty  to 
make  peace,  but  by  the  consent  of  his  ally.  The  exist- 
ence of  this  engagement  is  public,  and  the  French  Govern- 
ment must  itself  have  expected  the  proposal  made  by 
your  Lordship  in  the  first  instance  to  be  conformable 
to  it. 

It  may  indeed  well  be  doubted  whether  any  other 
form  or  arrangement  of  peace  can"  be  so  likely  to  restore 
and  ensure  the  tranquillity  of  Europe,  as  one  which  should 
be  grounded  on  the  status  ante  helium  with  respect  to 
the  Netherlands,  and  to  the  Milanese ;  and  on  the  same 
general  principle,  though  possibly  with  more  latitude  of 
application  as  with  respect  to  the  affairs  of  the  Empire 
and  Italy  at  large. 

*  In  the  Treaties  of  August  30th,  1793,  and  May  20t]i,  179.5,  Austria 
and  Great  Britain  promise  mutual  support  against  a  common  enemy  ;  and 
in  the  event  of  a  peace,  reciprocally  guarantee  the  integrity  of  their  domi- 
nions. 

z  2 


340  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [l7i)G. 

With  respect  however  to  the  Netherlands,  His  Majesty, 
though  extremely  desirous  on  every  account  of  seeing 
them  restored  to  the  Emperor,  would  not  think  it  proper 
to  refuse  considering  any  proposals  of  a  different  nature 
that  should  be  made  to  him,  if  they  were  found  to  be  in 
themselves  practicable,  to  contain  an  adequate  equivalent 
to  the  House  of  Austria,  and  to  aiTord  a  reasonable  secu- 
rity that  those  provinces  shall  not  again  fall  into  the 
hands  of  France. 

Any  proposal  which  should  leave  those  countries  an- 
nexed to  France,  would  be  productive  of  much  greater 
advantage  to  that  Power,  and  loss  to  the  Allies,  than  any 
just  view  of  the  present  relative  situation  of  the  belli- 
gerent Powers  could  entitle  the  French  Government  to 
expect. 

The  first  object  of  endeavour  must  therefore  be  to 
secure  the  restoration  of  the  Netherlands  to  the  Emperor. 

If  the  demand  of  the  status  quo,  with  respect  to  these 
provinces  and  the  ]\Iilanese,  accompanied  by  a  reasonable 
and  suitable  arrangement  of  the  other  points  which  must 
come  in  question,  should  be  admitted  by  France,  His 
Majesty  is  ready  to  compensate  this  extent  of  restitution 
by  that  of  all  which  he  has  conquered  from  France 
during  the  war,  and  his  communications  with  the  Court 
of  Vienna  give  him,  as  your  Lordship  will  have  seen,  and 
may  express  to  the  French  Minister,  just  ground  to  expect 
that  on  that  basis,  as  with  respect  to  his  own  dominions, 
His  Imperial  Majesty  will  not  refuse  to  proceed  to  the 
adjustment  of  the  other  points  which  would  remain  to  be 
settled,  with  a  view  to  general  pacification. 

If,  however,  the  French  Minister,  persisting  in  his 
objections  to  this  proposal,  shall  bring  forward  any  plan 
for  a  different  arrangement  with  respect  to  those  pro- 
vinces, but  such  as  not  to  leave  them  in  the  power  of 
France, — holding  out  at  the  same  time  to  the  Emperor  a 
sufficient  equivalent  for  them,  the  King  empowers  you  to 
receive  such  proi)osal  as  matter  of  consideration,  and  to 
enter  into  such  discussions  as  may  naturally  arise  out  of 
it  respecting  the  value  of  the  compensation  to  be  offered 
to  the  Emperor,  the  means  of  realizing  it,  and  the  degree 


1796.]  PARIS.  341 

of  security  in  which  those  provinces  may  be  placed  as 
against  France,  in  order  that  the  whole  may  be  brought 
as  nearly  as  possible  to  a  distinct  issue,  in  which  His 
Majesty  and  his  Ally  may  decide.  But  he  cannot  proceed 
to  any  previous  agreement,  or  authorise  your  Lordship  to 
express  any  consent  on  his  part  to  any  such  plan,  till  he 
has  had  an  opportunity  of  entering  into  explanations 
upon  it  with  his  Ally,  whose  interest  is  so  nearly  con- 
cerned, and  whose  just  claims  His  Majesty  has  so  many 
reasons  for  enforcing  to  the  utmost  of  his  power. 

On  this  point,  therefore,  of  suffering  the  Netherlands 
to  remain  a  part  of  France,  your  Lordship  must  not  give 
the  smallest  hope  that  His  Majesty  will  be  induced  to 
relax.  With  respect  to  the  Milanese,  much  uncertainty 
still  prevails  as  to  the  accounts  received  through  France 
of  the  alleged  successes  of  the  French  army  in  that 
quarter.  If,  before  the  close  of  this  campaign,  Mantua 
should  be  relieved,  it  may  be  hoped  that  the  restitution  of 
the  IVIilanese  will  not  remain  to  be  asked  from  France.  If 
the  contrary  should  be  the  case,  His  Majesty  feels  himself 
bound  on  every  account  to  require  that  restitution  as  a 
part  of  the  price  of  his  conquests  which  he  offers  to  sur- 
render. Nor  can  he  recede  from  that  demand  unless  an 
ample  equivalent  be  offered  to  the  Emperor. 

I  have  now  only  to  add  on  the  general  subject  of  the 
negotiation,  that  the  short  Note  accompanying  the  Me- 
moir now  sent  to  your  Lordship  has  been  drawn  merely 
with  the  view  of  bringing  forward  the  demand ;  that  if 
France  does  not  accede  in  toto  to  the  proposals  now  made, 
it  is  incumbent  on  her  to  offer  a  contre-projH,  and  not 
abruptly  to  break  off  the  negotiation.  Your  Lordship's 
abilities  will  enable  you  to  judge  how  best  to  follow  up 
this  idea. 

[This  able  but  very  voluminous  Despatch  from  Lord 
Grenville  is  much  abridged,  as  the  pith  of  it  is  to  be 
found  in  the  following  Memorials.] 


342  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [l79fl. 

(iNCLOSURES.) 
NOTE    TO    M.    DELACROIX. 

Le  Soussigne  est  charge  de  remettre  au  Ministre  des 
Relations  Ext^rieures  le  M^moire  confideiitiel  ci-joint, 
contenant  les  propositions  de  sa  Cour  sur  I'application  du 
principe  g^n^ral  deja  etabli  pour  base  de  la  N^gociation 
Pacifique.  II  s'empressera  d'entrer  avec  le  Ministre  dans 
toutes  les  explications  que  I'etat  et  le  progres  de  la  N^go- 
ciation  pourront  admettre,  et  il  ne  manquera  pas  d'ap- 
porter  a  la  discussion  de  ces  propositions  ou  de  tel  contre- 
projet  qui  pourroit  lui  etre  remis  de  la  part  du  Directoire 
Executif,  cette  franchise  et  cet  esprit  de  conciliation  qui 
r^pondent  aux  sentimens  justes  et  pacifiques  de  sa  Cour. 


(A.) 

MEMOIRE    CONFIDENTIEL. 

Sur  les  objets  principaux  de  Restitution,  de  Compensa- 
tion et  d'arrangement  reciproque. 

Le  principe  actuellement  etabli  pour  base  de  la  N^go- 
ciation  par  le  consentment  des  deux  Gouvernemens,  porte 
sur  des  Restitutions  a  faire  par  Sa  Majest6  Britannique  a 
la  France,  en  compensation  des  arrangemens  auxquels 
cette  Puissance  consentiroit  pour  satisfaire  aux  justes 
pretentions  des  Allies  du  Roi,  et  pour  conserver  la 
balance  politique  de  TEurope. 

Pour  reraplir  ces  objets  de  la  maniere  la  plus  com- 
plette,  et  pour  offrir  une  nouvelle  preuve  de  la  sincerite 
de  SOS  voeux  pour  le  retablissement  de  la  tranquillite 
gen^rale,  Sa  Majeste  proposeroit  qu'il  soit  donnee  a  ce 
principe  de  part  et  d'autre  toute  I'^tendue  dont  il  peut 
etre  susceptible. 

Elle  demande  done. 

1.  La  restitution  a  Sa  J\Iajest6  I'Empereur  et  Roi  de 
tous  scs  Etats,  sur  le  pied  de  possession  avant  la  guerre. 

2.  Le  retablissement  do  la  Paix  cntre  rEnii)ire  Ger- 


1796.]  PARIS.  343 

manique  et  la  France,  par  un  arrangement  convenable 
et  conforme  aux  int6rets  respectifs,  aussi  bien  qu'a  la 
siiret6  gen^rale  de  I'Europe.  Get  arrangement  seroit 
traite  avec  Sa  Majest6  Imp^riale  comme  Chef  Constitu- 
tionel  de  I'Empire  soit  par  I'intervention  du  Roi,  soit 
directement,  selon  que  Sa  Majeste  Imperial  le  preferera. 

3.  L'Evacuation  de  I'ltalie  par  les  troupes  franc^aises 
avec  I'engagement  de  ne  pas  iutervenir  dans  les  affaires 
int^rieures  de  ce  pays,  qui  seroit  remis  en  autant  que 
possible,  sur  le  pied  du  status  ante  })ellmn. 

Dans  le  cours  de  la  Negociation  Ton  pourroit  discuter 
plus  en  detail  les  mesures  ult^rieures  que  Ton  pourroit 
adopter  sur  les  objets  de  ces  trois  Articles,  pour  pour  voir 
plus  efficacement  k  la  surety  future  des  limites  et  posses- 
sions respectives  et  au  maintien  de  la  tranquillite  g^uerale. 

1.  Quant  a  ce  qui  regarde  les  autres  Allies  de  Sa  Ma- 
jest6  Britannique,  elle  demande  qu'il  soit  reserve  a  Sa 
Majeste  I'lmperatrice  de  toutes  les  Russies,  la  faculte 
pleine  et  illimitee  d'intervenir  a  cette  Negociation  d^s 
qu'elle  le  jugera  a  propos,  ou  bien  d'acceder  au  traite  de- 
finitif,  et  de  rentrer  par  la  dans  un  etat  de  paix  avec  la 
France. 

2.  Sa  Majesty  demande  pareillement  que  Sa  Majesty 
Tres  Fidelle  puisse  aussi  etre  comprise  dans  la  Negocia- 
tion, et  rentrer  en  paix  avec  la  France,  sans  qu'il  soit 
€[uestion  d'aucune  cession  ou  condition  onereuse  de  part 
ou  d'autre. 

3.  A  ces  conditions  Sa  Majesty  oifre  k  la  France  la 
restitution  enti^re  et  sans  reserve  de  tout  ce  qu'elle  a 
conquis  sur  cette  Puissance  dans  les  deux  Indes ;  en  lui 
proposant  toutefois  de  s'entendre  mutuellement  sur  les 
moyens  d'assurer  pour  I'avenir  la  tranquillity  des  deux 
Nations,  et  de  consolider  autant  que  possible  les  avan- 
tages  de  leurs  possessions  respectives.  Elle  offre  pareille- 
ment la  restitution  des  lies  de  St,  Pierre  et  Miquelon,  et 
de  la  Peche  de  Terre  Neuve  sur  le  pied  du  status  ante 
helium. 

4.  Mais  si  elle  devoit  en  outre  se  d6partir  du  droit  que 
lui  donnent  les  stipulations  expresses  du  Trait6  d'Utrccht 
de  s'opposer  a  ce  que  la  partie  Espagnole  de  St.  Domingue 


344  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [l796. 

puisse  etre  c^d^e  h  la  France,  elle  demanderoit  alors  en 
retour  de  cette  concession,  une  compensation  qui  pourroit 
assurer  au  moins  en  partie  le  maintien  de  la  balance  des 
possessions  respectives  dans  cette  partie  du  monde. 

5.  Dans  tons  les  cas  des  cessions  ou  des  restitutions 
dont  il  pourroit  etre  question  dans  cette  Negociation,  on 
accorderoit  de  part  et  d'autre  la  faculte  la  plus  illimitee 
k  tons  les  particuliers  de  se  retirer  avec  leurs  families  et 
leurs  effets,  et  de  vendre  leurs  terres  et  autres  biens  im- 
meubles.  Et  on  prendroit  pareillement  dans  le  cours  de 
la  Negociation  des  arrangemens  convenables  pour  la  lev^e 
des  sequestrations,  et  pour  satisfaire  aux  justes  reclama- 
tions que  des  individus  de  part  et  d'autre  pourroient 
avoir  a  faire  sur  les  Gouvernemens  respectifs. 


(B.) 


MEMOIRE  CONFIDENTIEL,  SUR  LA  PAIX  AVEC  L  ESPAGNE 
ET  LA  HOLLANDE. 

Les  Allies  de  la  France  n'ayant  temoigne  jusqu'  ici 
aucun  d^sir  ni  disposition  pour  traiter  avec  le  Roi  Sa  Ma- 
jeste  auroit  pu  se  dispenser  d'entrer  dans  aucun  detail  a 
leur  ^gard.  Mais  pour  ^viter  des  d^lais  nuisibles  au 
grand  objet  que  le  Roi  se  propose  et  pour  acc^l^rer  Toeuvre 
de  la  Paix  Gen6rale,  Sa  Majeste  ne  refusei*a  pas  de  s'ex- 
pliquer  d'avance  sur  ce  qui  regarde  ces  Puissances. 

Si  done  le  Roi  Catholique  d^sireroit  d'etre  compris 
dans  la  Negociation  ou  de  pouvoir  acceder  au  Traite 
Definitif,  Sa  Majest6  Britanni({ue  ne  s'y  refuseroit  pas. 
Aucune  conquete  n'ayant  ete  faite  jusqu'  ici  par  I'un  de 
ces  deux  Souverains  sur  I'autre,  il  ne  seroit  question  dans 
ce  moment  que  de  retablir  la  Paix  simplement  et  sans 
restitution  ou  compensation  quelconque,  except^  ce  qui 
pourrait  peut-^tre  r^sulter  de  I'application  de  principe 
encmce  sur  la  fin  de  I'article  4.  du  M^moire  d^ja  remis 
au  Ministre  des  Relations  Exterieures  ;  mais  si  pendant  la 
Negociation    I'etat    des    clioses    a    cet    egard    veuoit    a 


1796.]  PARIS.  845 

changer,  on  devra  alors  convenir  des  Restitutions  et  Com- 
pensations a  faire  de  part  et  d'autre. 

Pour  ce  qui  regarde  la  E,6publique  des  Provinces  Unies. 
Sa  Majesty  Britanique  et  les  Allies,  se  trouvent  trop  di- 
rectement  interess6s  a  la  situation  politique  de  ces  Pro- 
vinces pour  pouvoir  consenter  a  retablir  a  leur  ^gard  le 
status  ante  helium,  territorial,  a  moins  que  la  France 
ne  put  ^galement  les  remettre  a  tous  ^gards  dans  la 
meme  position  politique  ou  Elles  se  trouvoient  avant 
la  guerre. 

Si  on  pouvoit  au  moins  retablir  dans  ces  Provinces, 
conformement  ^  ce  que  I'en  croit  etre  le  voeu  de  la 
grande  majority  des  habitans,  leur  ancienne  Constitution 
et  forme  de  Gouvernement,  Sa  Majest6  Britannique  seroit 
dispos^e  a  se  relacher  alors  en  leur  favour  sur  une  partie 
tres  considerable  des  conditions  sur  lesquelles  I'etat  actuel 
des  choses  lui  impose  la  n^cessit^  d'insister.  Mais  si  au 
contraire  c'est  avec  la  R^publique  Hollandoise  dans  son 
6tat  actuel  que  leurs  Majestes  Britannique  et  Imperiale 
auront  a  traiter,  Elles  se  verront  obligees  de  cliercher 
dans  des  acquisitions  territoriales  la  compensation  et  la 
surety  que  cet  6tat  des  choses  leur  rendroit  indispensa- 
bles. 

Des  restitutions  quelconques  en  faveur  de  la  Hollande 
ne  pourroient  alors  avoir  lieu  qu'en  autant  qu'elles  se- 
roient  compens^es  par  des  arrangemens  propres  a  con- 
tribuer  a  la  suret6  des  Pays  Bas  Autrichiens. 

Les  moyens  de  remplir  cet  objet  se  trouvent  dans  les 
cessions  que  le  France  a  exig^es  dans  son  Trait6  de  Paix 
avec  la  Hollande,  et  dont  la  possession  par  cette  Puis- 
sance seroit  en  tout  cas  absolument  incompatible  avec  la 
siirete  des  Pays  Bas  Autrichiens  entre  les  mains  de  Sa 
Majest6  Imperiale. 

C'est  done  sur  ces  principes  que  Sa  Majesty  Britan- 
nique seroit  prete  a  traiter  pour  le  r^tablissement  de  la 
Paix  avec  la  R6publique  Hollandoise  dans  son  ^tat  actuel. 
Les  details  d'une  pareille  discussion  ameneroient  n^ces- 
sairement  la  consideration  de  ce  qui  seroit  du  aux 
int^rets  et  aux  droits  de  la  Maison  d'Orange. 


346  DIARIES   AND    CORRESPONDENCE.  [1196. 


EXTRACTS    OF    A    DESPATCH    FROM    LORD    MALMESBURY    TO 

LORD    GRENVILLE. 

Paris,  Wednesday,  Dec.  14th,  1796. 

The  internal  situation  of  tliis  country  remains  nearly 
the  same  as  when  I  last  had  the  honour  of  mentioning  the 
subject  to  jour  Lordship. 

The  amendment  to  the  law  of  the  3rd  of  Brumaire, 
which  places  the  Amnisties  (as  they  are  called)  on  the 
same  footing  with  the  relations  of  emigrants,  after  several 
long  discussions  in  the  Council  of  Ancients,  was  carried  a 
few  days  ago.  It  disqualifies  at  once  seven  hundred  per- 
sons from  continuing  in  office. 

The  moderate  party  consider  the  removal  of  so  large  a 
number  of  their  opponents  from  situations  of  influence 
and  patronage,  as  a  measure  which  may  prove  very  favour- 
able to  their  interest,  at  the  ensuing  election — an  event 
towards  which  all  parties  turn  their  thoughts,  and  look 
forward  to  with  anxious  expectation.  Everything  in  this 
country  rests  on  so  unsteady  a  basis ;  changes  can  be  so 
little  foreseen  before  they  happen,  and  so  little  accounted 
for  when  they  do  happen,  that  it  is  impossible  to  venture, 
from  the  temper  of  the  day,  to  say  what  may  take  place 
three  months  hence.  If  this  continues  without  any  ma- 
terial change,  I  confess  I  should  almost  be  led  to  conjec- 
ture that  the  two  Councils,  from  the  character  of  the  neiu 
third  of  which  they  would  be  composed  after  the  election, 
would  be  induced  to  make  a  very  considerable  alteration, 
both  in  the  power  and  form  of  the  Directory ;  that  tliis 
power  would  be  reduced  into  a  narrower  compass,  and  those 
entrusted  with  it  charged  with  a  greater  degree  of  re- 
sponsibility tlian  at  present.  It  is  through  tlie  two  Coun- 
cils only  that  a  revolution  of  this  sort  is  likely  to  be 
effected.  Should  any  party  be  inconsiderate  or  rash  enough 
to  attempt  it  by  any  other  means,  or  if  the  people  are 
again  to  be  appealed  to,  the  most  liorrid  anarchy  and 
confusion  must  ensue,  and  the  dread  of  this  seems  too 
universal  for  it  to  be  likely  to  take  place. 

The  prohiJntory  law  relative  to  Englisii  merchandizes 


1796.]  PARIS.  347 

has  already  produced  such  inconveniences,  and  so  many 
remonstrances  from  the  trading  part  of  the  nation,  that 
the  Directory  have  not  only  prolonged  the  time  for  allow- 
ing the  re-exportation  of  English  goods,  but  give  daily 
permission  for  the  sale  of  them  in  the  country,  and  these 
permissions  have  been  hitherto  so  frequent  and  so  extensive 
as  nearly  to  do  away  the  effect  of  the  law. 

The  conduct  of  this  country  towards  persons  vested 
with  public  characters,  is  perfectly  new.  During  the  short 
time  1  have  been  here,  the  Ministers  of  Modena  and 
Geneva  have  been  sent  away  by  the  Directory  without 
assigning  any  reason  to  justify  so  unprecedented  a  mea- 
sure ;  and  at  this  moment  they  are  in  doubt  whether  they 
shall  receive,  or  not,  Mr.  Pinckney,  who  is  sent  from  Ame- 
rica, in  the  room  of  Mr.  Munro.  M.  Delacroix  (by  order, 
doubtless,  of  the  Directory)  has  left  the  usual  message 
of  notification  of  his  arrival,  which  he  sent  four  days  ago 
without  an  answer  ;  and  I  know  they  have  it  in  contem- 
plation to  refuse  to  receive  his  credentials,  under  no  other 
pretence  than  the  inutility,  at  this  particular  moment,  of 
any  exchange  of  Ministers  between  this  country  and 
America.'"  The  real  reason,  however,  is  that  Mr.  Munro 
was  quite  in  their  principles,  connected  with  their  friends 
in  America,  and  devoted  to  their  interests  ;  whereas  Mr. 
Pinckney  is  reputed  to  be  of  a  direct  contrary  character, 
and  not  at  all  disposed  to  admire  them,  or  be  guided  by 
by  them.f 

It  was  said  that  Baron  de  Stael|  was  to  return  here  as 
Ambassador  from  vStockholm,  but  this  seems  doubtful.  It 
is  indeed  by  no  means  to  be  wished  he  should,  as  although 
he  also  was  sent  away  by  the  Directory,  yet  he  is  in  his 
habits,  manners,  and  principles,  fully  qualified  to  reside 
in  this  country. 


*  The  Frencli  Government  had  taken  great  umbrage  at  a  friendly  Treaty 
lately  entered  into  between  Great  Britain  and  the  United  States,  one  of  the 
last  official  acts  of  Washington.  This  great  man  had  foiled  the  intrigues  of 
the  French  emissaries,  who  endeavoured  to  propagate  their  anarchical 
principles  in  his  country. 

t  The  Directory  afterwards  refused  to  acknowledge  Mr.  Pinckney  as 
Minister,  and  recalled  their  own. 

+  The  husband  of  the  celebrated  Madame  de  Stael. 


348  DIARIES    AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [l796. 

Wednesday,  Dec.  14. — Called  on  Pignatelli.  Con- 
versation about  Russia.  Leveson  dined  with  Mrs.  Elliot 
— very  good  dinner — she  tres  naive.  News  came  of 
Empress  of  Russia's  death — she  died  on  the  17th  of 
November  of  an  apoplexy,  in  her  closet. 


Thursday,  Dec.  15. — With  Pignatelli.  Walked  to 
several  shops — to  Madlle.  Laurent,  who  had  lived  with  Lau- 
zun — she  attended  him  to  the  last — he  would  not  let  his 
hands  be  tied — he  said  to  the  bourreau,  "  Nous  sommes 
tous  les  deux  Fran^ais,  nous  ferons  notre  devoir."  At  five 
Ellis  returned — much  conversation  with  him.  The  in- 
structions good,  but  not  likely  to  answer. 


EXTRACT    OF    A    LETTER    FROM    LORD    MALMESBURY    TO 

MR.  CANNING. 

Paris,  17th  Dec,  1796.     10  p.m. 

The  morning  of  the  day  after  Timms  left  Paris,  news 
was  received  here,  and  inserted  officially  in  the  Redacteur, 
of  the  death  of  the  Empress  of  Russia.  As  Her  Imperial 
Majesty  was  always  killed  about  this  time  of  the  year,  I 
did  not  at  first  give  any  credit  to  it,  but  since  this  very 
important  event  has  come  from  so  many  quarters,  and  is 
so  well  authenticated,  that  I  believe  there  can  be  no  doubt 
of  its  being  true.  It  happened  on  the  6  th  November. 
The  Empress  was  supposed  to  be  writing ;  she  remained 
so  much  longer  than  she  usually  did,  shut  up  in  lier 
closet,  that  at  last  the  door  was  opened.  She  was  found 
nearly  expiring  of  an  apoplexy,  her  face  upwards,  and 
her  legs  close  to  the  door,  which,  it  was  supposed  she  had 
attempted  to  open.  Her  Majesty  continued  to  breathe  for 
several  hours,  but  no  possibility  of  recovery  existed  from 
the  beginning. 


Sunday,   Dec.    18. — Write.      Despatch  messengers   to 
England,  to  Vienna. 


179G.]  PARIS.  349 

Monday,  Dec.  19. — Write— walk.  Guiraudet  called  at 
10  p.  M.  — I  not  at  home — guessed  the  motive  of  his  visit. 
It  was  reported  by  various  persons,  and  evidently  the 
Directory  had  been  endeavouring  to  sound  the  feelings  of 
the  two  Councils. 


Tuesday,  Dec.  20. — At  10,  Guiraudet,  to  announce  my 
being  sent  away — despatch  messenger  to  Vienna,  and  in 
the  evening  to  England.  Swinburne,  Wild,  and  Gemm,  at 
dinner.  Conversation  with  Sandoz — at  Perregeaux  in  the 
evening.     Supper  at  Mrs.  Elliot's. 


EXTRACTS    OF   A   DESPATCH    FROM    LORD  MALMESBURY    TO 

LORD    GRENVILLE. 

Paris,  Tuesday,  20th  Dec,  1796. 

Mr.  Ellis  returned  from  London  on  Thursday  last,  the 
1 5th  inst.,  at  5  p.  m.,  and  delivered  to  me  the  Despatches 
of  the  10th  and  11th  instant  with  which  he  was  charged 
by  your  Lordship, 

Although  nothing  can  be  clearer,  more  ably  drawn  up, 
or  more  satisfactory  than  the  instructions  they  contain, 
yet,  as  it  was  of  the  last  consequence  that  I  should  be 
completely  master  of  the  subject  before  I  saw  the  French 
Minister,  I  delayed  asking  for  a  conference  till  late  on 
Friday  evening,  with  a  view  that  it  should  not  take  place 
until  Saturday  morning. 

He  appointed  the  hour  of  eleven  on  that  day,  and  it 
was  near  one  l^efore  we  parted.  Although  what  is  said 
by  M.  Delacroix  before  he  has  communicated  with  the 
Directory  cannot  be  considered  as  officially  binding,  and 
proljably  may  in  the  event  be  very  diiferent  from  what  I 
shall  hear  when  he  speaks  to  me  in  their  name  ;  yet,  as 
it  is  impossilDle  they  should  not  nearly  conjecture  the 
nature  of  the  overtures  I  should  make,  and,  of  course,  be 
prepared  in  some  degree  for  them,  it  is  material  that 
your  Lordship  should  be  accurately  acquainted  with  the 
first  impressions  they  appear  to  make  on  ?vl.  Delacroix. 


350  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [l796. 

I  prefaced  what  I  had  to  communicate  with  saying, 
that  I  now  came  authorised  to  enter  with  him  into 
deliberations  upon  one  of  the  most  important  subjects 
that  perhaps  ever  was  brought  into  discussion.  That  its 
magnitude  forbade  all  finesse,  excluded  all  prevarication, 
suspended  all  prejudices ;  and  that,  as  I  had  it  in  com- 
mand to  speak  and  act  with  freedom  and  truth,  I 
expected  that  he,  on  his  part,  would  consider  these  as 
the  only  means  which  could  or  ought  to  be  employed,  if 
he  wished  to  see  a  negotiation,  in  which  the  happiness  of 
millions  was  involved,  terminate  successfully. 

That  for  greater  precision,  and  with  a  view  to  be  clearly 
understood  in  what  I  was  about  to  propose,  I  would  give 
him  a  confidential  Memorial,  accompanied  mth  an  official 
Note,  both  of  which,  when  he  had  perused  them,  would 
speak  for  themselves. 

The  Memorial  contained  the  conditions  on  the  accom- 
plishment of  which  His  Majesty  considered  the  restoration 
of  peace  to  depend.  The  Note  was  expressive  of  His 
Majesty's  readiness  to  enter  into  any  explanation  required 
by  the  Directory  on  the  sul^ject,  or  to  receive  any  contre- 
projet  resting  on  the  same  basis  which  the  Directory 
might  be  disposed  to  give  in.  That,  moreover,  I  did  not 
hesitate  declaring  to  him,  in  conformity  to  the  principles 
which  I  had  laid  down,  and  from  which  I  certainly  never 
should  depart  at  any  period  of  the  negotiation,  that  I 
was  prepared  to  answer  any  questions,  explain  and  eluci- 
date any  points  on  which  it  was  possible  to  foresee  that 
doubts  or  misconceptions  could  arise  on  the  consideration 
of  these  papers  ;  and  having  said  thus  much,  I  had  only 
to  remark,  tliat  I  believed,  in  no  similar  negotiation 
which  had  ever  taken  place,  any  Minister  was  authorised 
in  the  first  instance  to  go  so  fully  into  the  discussion  as 
I  now  was  ;  that  I  was  sure  neither  the  truth  of  this 
remark,  nor  the  manifest  conclusion  to  be  drawn  from  it, 
would  escape  M.  Delacroix's  observation.  I  then  put 
the  two  papers  into  his  hands. 

He  began  by  reading  the  Note,  on  which,  of  course,  he 
could  only  express  satisfaction.  After  perusing  the  Con- 
fidential Memorial  with  all  the  attention  it  deserved,  he. 


1796.]  PARIS.  351 

after  a  short  pause,  said  that  it  appeared  to  him  to  be 
liable  to  insurmountal3le  objections.  That  it  seemed  to 
require  much  more  than  it  conceded,  and  in  the  event 
not  to  leave  France  in  a  situation  of  proportional  great- 
ness to  other  Powers  of  Europe.  He  said  the  act  of  their 
constitution,  according  to  the  manner  in  ivhich  it  was 
interpreted  by  the  best  puhlicistes,  (and  this  plirase  is 
worthy  of  remark,)  made  it  impossible  for  the  Republic 
to  do  what  we  required.  The  Austrian  Netherlands  Avere 
annexed  to  it ;  they  could  not  be  disposed  of  without 
flinging  the  nation  into  all  the  confusion  which  must 
follow  a  Convocation  of  the  primary  assemblies  ;  and  he 
said  he  was  rather  surprised  that  Great  Britain  should 
bring  this  forward  as  the  governing  condition  of  the 
Treaty  ;  since  he  thought  he  had  in  some  of  our  late 
conversations  fully  explained  the  nature  of  their  consti- 
tution to  me. 

I  replied,  that  everything  I  had  heard  from  him  on 
this  point  was  perfectly  in  my  recollection,  as  it  pro- 
bably was  in  his,  that  though  I  had  listened  to  him 
with  that  attention  I  always  afforded  to  everything 
he  said,  yet  I  had  never  made  him  any  sort  of  reply, 
and  had  neither  admitted  nor  controverted  his  opinion. 
That,  although  I  believed  I  could  easily  disprove  this 
opinion  from  the  spirit  of  the  French  constitution 
itself,  yet  the  discussion  of  that  constitution  was  per- 
fectly foreign  to  the  object  of  my  Mission  ;  since,  even 
allowing  his  two  positions,  viz.,  that  the  retrocession 
of  the  Austrian  Netherlands  was  incompatible  with  their 
laws,  and  that  we  ought  to  have  known  tliat  before-hand ; 
yet,  that  there  existed  a  droit  pubUque  in  Europe,  para- 
mount to  any  droit  puhlique  they  might  think  proper  to 
establish  within  their  own  dominions,  and  that,  if  their 
constitution  was  publicly  known,  the  Treaties  existing 
between  His  Majesty  and  the  Emperor  were  at  least 
equally  public.  And  in  these  it  was  clearly  and  dis- 
tinctly enounced,  that  the  two  contracting  parties  re- 
ciprocally promise  not  to  lay  down  their  arms  without 
the  restitution  of  all  the  dominions,  territories,  &c.,  which 
may  have  belonged   to  either  of  them  before  the  war. 


852  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [l796. 

That  the  date  of  this  stipulation  was  previous  to  their 
annexing  the  Austrian  Netherlands  to  France,  and  the 
notoriety  of  this  ought  at  the  very  moment  when  they 
passed  that  law  to  have  convinced  them,  that  if  adhered 
to,  it  must  prove  an  insuperable  obstacle  to  peace.  I 
applied  this  maxim  to  the  West  India  islands,  and  to  the 
settlements  in  the  East  Indies  ;  and  asked  him  whether  it 
was  expected  that  we  were  to  waive  our  right  of  pos- 
session, and  be  required  still  to  consider  these  as  integral 
parts  of  the  French  Republic,  which  must  be  restored,  and 
on  which  no  value  was  to  be  set  in  the  balance  of  compen- 
sation. I  also  stated  the  possible  case  of  France  having 
lost  part  of  what  she  deemed  her  integral  dominions, 
instead  of  having  added  to  them  in  the  course  of  the 
war  ;  and  whether  then,  under  the  apprehension  of  still 
greater  losses,  the  Government,  as  it  was  now  composed, 
should  consider  itself  as  not  vested  with  powers  sufficient 
to  save  their  country  from  the  impending  danger,  by 
making  peace  on  the  conditions  of  sacrificing  a  portion  of 
their  dominions  to  save  the  remainder. 

M.  Delacroix  said  this  was  stating  a  case  of  necessity, 
and  such  a  mode  of  reasoning  did  not  attach  to  the  pre- 
sent circumstances.  I  readily  admitted  the  first  part  of 
this  proposition,  but  contended  that  if  the  power  existed 
in  a  case  of  necessity,  it  equally  existed  in  all  others,  and 
particularly  in  the  case  before  us  ;  since  lie  himself  had 
repeatedly  told  me  that  peace  was  what  this  country  and 
its  Government  wished  for,  and  even  wanted, 

M.  Delacroix,  in  reply,  shifted  his  ground,  and  by  a 
string  of  arguments  founded  on  premises  calculated  for  his 
purpose,  attempted  to  prove,  that  from  the  relative  situa- 
tion of  the  adjacent  countries,  the  present  Government  of 
France  would  be  reprehensible  in  the  extreme,  and  deserve 
impeachment,  if  they  ever  suffered  the  Netherlands  to  be 
separated  from  their  dominions  ;  that  by  the  partition  of 
Poland,  Russia,  Austria,  and  Prussia  had  increased  their 
power  to  a  most  formidable  degree  ;  that  England  by  its 
conquests,  and  by  the  activity  and  judgment  with  which 
it  governed  its  colonies,  had  doubled  its  strength.  Your 
Indian  empire  alone,  said  M.  Delacroix  with  vehemence, 


1796.1  PARIS.  353 


has  enabled  you  to  subsidize  all  the  Powers  of  Europe 
against  us,  and  your  monopoly  of  trade  has  put  you  in 
possession  of  a  fund  of  inexhaustible  wealth.  His  words 
were,  "  Yotre  empire  dans  L'Inde  vous  a  fourni  les 
moyens  de  salarier  toutes  les  Puissances  mercenaires  de 
I'Europe  contre  nous,  et  vouz  avez  accapares  le  commerce 
de  mani^re  que  toutes  les  richesses  du  monde  se  versent 
dans  vos  coffres."''^ 

From  the  necessity  that  France  should  keep  the 
Netherlands  and  the  left  bank  of  the  Rhine,  for  the  pur- 
pose of  preserving  its  relative  situation  in  Europe,  he 
passed  to  the  advantages  which  he  contended  would  result 
to  the  other  Powers  by  such  an  addition  to  the  French 
dominions.  Belgium  (to  use  his  words,)  by  belonging 
to  France,  would  remove  what  had  been  the  source  of 
all  wars  for  two  centuries  past ;  and  the  Rhine  being  the 
natural  boundary  of  France,  would  ensure  the  tranquillity 
of  Europe  for  two  centuries  to  come.  I  did  not  feel  it  ne- 
cessary to  combat  this  preposterous  doctrine.  I  contented 
myself  by  reminding  him  of  what  he  had  said  to  me  in  one 
of  our  last  conferences,  when  he  made  a  comparison  of  the 
weakness  of  France  under  its  monarchs,  and  its  strength  and 
vigour  under  its  republican  form  of  government.  "  Nous 
ne  sommes  plus  dans  la  decrepitude  de  la  France  Mon- 
archique,  mais  dans  toute  la  force  d'une  R^publique 
adolescente,"  was  his  expression ;  and  I  inferred  from  this, 
according  to  his  own  reasoning,  that  the  force  and  power 
France  had  acquired  by  its  change  of  Government,  was 
much  greater  than  it  could  derive  from  any  acquisition  of 
territory  ;  and  that  it  followed  if  France,  when  under  a 
regal  form  of  government  was  a  very  just  and  constant 
object  of  attention,  not  to  say  of  jealousy  to  the  other 
Powers  of  Europe,  France  (admitting  his  axiom)  was  a 
much  more  reasonable  object  of  jealousy  and  attention 
under  its  present  constitution,  than  it  ever  had  yet  been ; 

*  The  reader  will  have  been  surprised  at  the  uncommon  minuteness  with 
which  Lord  Malmesbury  reported  whole  conversations  to  his  Principal,  espe- 
cially that  with  the  Empress  Catherine  ;  hut  his  memory  was  known  to  be 
most  remarkable  ;  and  Lord  Grenville  has  told  me,  that  he  used  to  come 
from  a  conference,  and  repeat  to  him  every  word  of  it,  before  he  wrote  it 
down,  almost  as  each  peison  had  spoken. 

VOL.  III.  2  A 


354  DIARIES   AND    CORRESPONDENCE.  [1796. 

and  that  no  addition  to  its  dominions  could  be  seen  by  its 
neighbours,  but  under  impressions  of  alarm  for  their  own 
future  safety,  and  for  the  general  tranquillity  of  Europe. 
M.  Delacroix's  answer  to  this  was  so  remarkable,  that  I 
must  beg  leave  to  insert  it  in  what  I  believe  to  be  nearly 
his  own  words.  "  Dans  le  temps  revolutionnaire  tout 
ce  que  vous  dites,  Milord,  etait  vrai;  rien  n'egaloit  notre 
puissance.  Mais  ce  tems  n'existe  plus.  Nous  ne  pouvons 
plus  lever  la  nation  en  masse  pour  voler  au  secours  de  la 
patrie  en  danger.  Nous  ne  pouvons  plus  engager  nos 
concitoyens  d'ouvrir  leurs  bourses  pour  les  verser  dans  le 
tr^sor  national,  et  de  se  priver  meme  du  necessaire  pour 
le  bien  de  la  chose  publique."  And  he  ended  by  saying 
that  the  French  Republic  necessarily  must  become  the 
most  quiet  and  pacific  power  in  Europe.  I  only  observed 
that  in  this  case  the  passage  of  the  Republic  from  youth 
to  decrejntudd  had  been  very  sudden  ;  Ijut  that  still  I 
never  could  admit  that  it  could  be  a  matter  of  indifference 
to  its  neighbours,  much  less  one  of  necessary  security  to 
itself,  to  acquire  such  a  very  extensive  addition  to  its 
frontiers  as  that  he  had  hinted  at. 

This  led  M.  Delacroix  to  talk  of  offering  an  equivalent 
to  the  Emperor  for  the  Austrian  Netherlands  ;  and  it  was 
to  be  found,  according  to  his  plan,  in  the  secularization  of 
the  three  Ecclesiastical  Electorates,'""  and  several  Bishoprics 
in  Germany  and  in  Italy.  lie  talked  upon  this  subject 
as  one  very  familiar  to  him,  and  on  which  his  thoughts 
had  been  frequently  employed. 

His  language  and  proposals  were  so  like  that  which 
used  occasionally  to  be  hinted  to  me  at  Berlin  three  years 
ago,  that  I  can  have  little  doubt  that  ]\I.  Delacroix  has 
obtained  most  of  his  ideas  on  this  subject  either  from 
M.  Sandoz  Rolliu,  Prussian  Minister  here,  or  from  ]\Ir. 
Caillard  the  French  Minister  at  Berlin, 

He  talked  of  making  new  Electors,  and  named,  probably 
with  a  view  to  render  his  scheme  more  palatable,  the 
Stadtholder,  and  the  Dukes  of  Brunswick  and  Wertem- 
berg,  as  persons  proper  to  replace  the  three  Ecclesiastical 
Electors  which  were  to  be  reformed. 

*  Cologne,  Mayence,  and  Treves. 


1796.]  PARIS.  355 

It  would  be  making  au  ill  use  of  your  Lordship's  time, 
to  endeavour  to  repeat  to  you  all  he  said  on  this  subject. 
It  went  in  substance  (as  he  himself  confessed)  to  the  total 
sulDversion  of  the  present  constitution  of  the  Germanic 
Body  ;  and,  as  it  militated  directly  against  the  principle 
which  both  His  Majesty  and  the  Emperor  laid  down  so 
distinctly  as  the  basis  of  the  peace  to  be  made  for  the 
Empire,  I  contented  myself  with  reminding  him  of  this 
circumstance  ;  particularly  as  it  is  impossible  to  discuss 
this  point  with  any  propriety  till  His  Imperial  Majesty 
becomes  a  party  to  the  negotiation.  I  took  this  oppor- 
tunity of  hinting  that,  if  on  all  the  other  points  France 
agreed  to  the  proposals  now  made,  it  would  not  be  impos- 
sible that  some  increase  of  territory  might  be  ceded  to  her 
on  the  German  side  of  her  frontiers ;  and  that  this,  in 
addition  to  the  Dutchy  of  Savoy,  Nice,  and  Avignon, 
would  be  a  very  great  acquisition  of  strength  and  power. 

M.  Delacroix  here  again  reverted  to  the  Constitution, 
and  said,  that  these  countries  were  already  constitution- 
ally annexed  to  France.  I  replied  that  it  was  impossible, 
in  the  negotiation  which  we  were  beginning,  for  the  other 
Powers  to  take  it  up  from  any  period  but  that  which 
immediately  preceded  the  war  ;  and  that  any  acquisition 
or  diminution  of  territory  which  had  taken  place  among 
the  Belligerent  Powers  since  it  first  broke  out,  must  ne- 
cessarily become  subject-matter  for  negotiation,  and  be 
balanced  against  each  other  in  the  final  arrangement  of  a 
general  peace.  "  You  then  persist,"  said  M,  Delacroix, 
"  in  applying  this  principle  to  Belgium."  I  answered, 
"  Most  certainly ;  and  I  should  not  deal  fairly  with  you  if 
I  hesitated  to  declare  in  the  outset  of  our  negotiation,  that 
on  this  point  you  must  entertain  no  expectation  that  His 
Majesty  will  relax,  or  ever  consent  to  see  the  Netherlands 
remain  part  of  France." 

M.  Delacroix  replied,  he  saw  no  prospect  in  this  case 
of  our  ideas  ever  meeting,  and  he  despaired  of  the  suc- 
cess of  our  negotiation.  He  returned  again,  however,  to 
his  idea  of  a  possible  equivalent  to  be  found  for  the 
Emperor,  but  as  all  he  proposed  was  the  alienation  or 
dismemberment  of  countries   not   belonging  to  France, 

2  A  2 


356  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [l796. 

even  by  conquest,  (although  it  is  to  be  remarked,  he  did 
not  mention  Bavaria,)  I  did  not  consider  it  as  deserving 
attention,  and  it  is  certainly  not  worth  repeating  to  your 
Lordship.  x 

I  need  not  observe,  that  all  the  equivalents  proposed, 
however  inadequate  to  the  exchange,  were  offered  as  a 
return  for  our  consent  that  the  Netherlands  should  re- 
main part  of  France.  Of  course  the  admitting  them  in 
any  shape  would  have  been  in  direct  contradiction  to  my 
instructions. 

M.  Delacroix  touched  very  slightly  on  Italy  ;  and  in 
the  present  uncertain  state  of  the  Milanese,  I  was  not  very 
anxious  to  bring  this  part  of  the  subject  into  discussion. 

I  must  add,  that  whenever  I  mentioned  the  restoration 
of  the  Netherlands  to  the  Emperor,  I  always  took  care  it 
should  be  understood  that  these  were  to  be  accompanied 
by  such  further  cessions  as  should  form  a  competent  line 
of  defence,  and  that  France  could  not  be  permitted  to 
keep  possession  of  all  the  intermediate  country  to  the 
Rhine  ;  and  I  particularly  dwelt  on  this  point  when  I 
held  out  the  possibility  of  admitting  an  extension  of  the 
limits  of  France  on  the  side  of  Germany.  But  as  the 
French  Minister  no  less  strenuously  opposed  the  restora- 
tion of  the  Netherlands  to  the  Emperor,  than  I  tena- 
ciously insisted  upon  it,  the  farther  extension  of  my 
claim  could  not  of  course  become  a  subject  of  argu- 
ment. 

It  remains  with  me  to  inform  you  what  passed  be- 
tween us  on  the  subject  of  and  respecting  our  Allies. 

On  the  articles  reserving  a  right  to  the  Court  of  St. 
Petersburg,  and  that  of  Lisbon,  to  accede  to  the  Treaty 
of  Peace  on  the  strict  status  ante  helium,  the  French 
Minister  made  no  other  remark,  than  by  mentioning  the 
Allies  of  the  Republic,  and  by  inquiring  whether  I  was 
prepared  to  say  anything  relative  to  their  interests, 
which  certainly  the  Republic  would  never  aljandon. 
This  afforded  me  the  opportunity  of  giving  in  the  con- 
fidential Memoir  (B)  relative  to  Spain  and  Holland,  and 
I  prefaced  (A)  by  repeating  to  him  the  substance  of  the 
first  part  of  your  Lordship's,  of  the  11th  instant. 


1796.]  PARIS.  357 

Although  I  had  touched  upon  the  subject  of  the 
Spanish  part  of  St.  Domingo,  when  I  had  been  speaking 
to  M.  Delacroix  on  the  Peace  with  France,  yet  as  it  did 
not  become  a  matter  of  discussion  between  us  till  I  came 
to  mention  the  Peace  with  Spain,  I  thought  it  better  to 
place  the  subject  in  this  part  of  my  despatch.  It  was 
the  only  point  on  which  he  entered  ;  but  I  by  no  means 
infer  from  his  not  bringing  forward  some  claims  for 
Spain,  that  we  are  not  to  hear  of  any  in  the  course  of 
the  negotiation  :  on  the  contrary,  I  have  little  doubt 
that  many,  and  most  of  them  inadmissible,  will  be  made 
before  it  can  end.  He,  however,  was  silent  on  them  at 
this  moment,  and  confined  all  he  had  to  say  to  combat- 
ing the  idea  that  Spain  was  bound  by  the  Treaty  of 
Utrecht  not  to  alienate  her  possessions  in  America.  I 
had  the  Article  copied  in  my  pocket,  and  I  read  it  to 
him.  He  confessed  it  was  clear  and  explicit,  but  that 
circumstances  had  so  materially  altered  since  the  year 
1713,  that  engagements  made  then  ought  not  to  be  con- 
sidered as  in  force  now,  I  said  that  the  spirit  of  the 
Article  itself  went  to  provide  for  distant  contingencies, 
not  for  what  was  expected  to  happen  at  or  near  the  time 
when  the  Treaty  was  made  ;  and  that  it  was  because  the 
alteration  of  circumstances  he  alluded  to  was  foreseen  as 
possible,  that  the  clause  was  inserted  ;  and  that  if  Spain 
paid  any  regard  to  the  faith  of  Treaties,  she  must  con- 
sider herself  as  no  less  strictly  bound  by  this  clause  now, 
than  at  the  moment  when  it  was  drawn  up.  I  went  on 
by  saying,  that  it  did  not,  however,  appear  quite  impos- 
sible that  this  point  might  be  settled  without  much  diffi- 
culty, and  that  means  might  be  devised  that  His  Catholic 
Majesty  should  not  break  his  faith,  and  both  England 
and  France  be  equally  satisfied.  I  then  held  out  to  him, 
but  in  vague  terms,  quite  in  the  shape  of  a  loose  pro- 
posal, that  either  Spain  might  regain  her  part  of  St. 
Domingo  by  making  some  considerable  cession,  both  to 
Great  Britain  and  France  as  the  price  of  peace  ;  or  that 
in  return  for  leaving  the  whole  of  St.  Domingo  to  France 
we  should  retain  either  Martinique,  or  St.  Lucia  and 
Tobago.     ]\I.  Delacroix  listened  with  a  degree  of  atten- 


358  DIARIES   AND    CORRESPONDENCE.  [1796. 

tion  to  these  proposals,  but  he  was  fearful  of  committing 
himself  by  an  expression  of  approbation  ;  and  he  dis- 
missed the  subject  of  the  Court  of  Madrid  by  observing, 
that  France  never  would  forsake  the  interests  of  its 
Allies.  Our  conversation  on  those  of  its  other  Ally, 
Holland,  was  much  longer,  as  the  wording  of  the  j\Iemo- 
rial  inevitably  led  at  once  deep  into  the  subject. 

M.  Delacroix  affected  to  treat  any  deviation  from 
the  Treaty  of  Peace  concluded  between  France  and  that 
country,  or  any  restoration  of  territory  acquired  by  it  to 
France,  as  quite  impracticable.  He  treated  as  equally 
impracticable  any  attempt  at  restoring  the  ancient  form 
of  government  in  the  Seven  United  Provinces. 

He  talked  with  an  air  of  triumph  of  the  establishment 
of  a  National  Convention  at  the  Hague,  and  with  an 
affectation  of  feeling,  that  by  it  the  cause  of  freedom  had 
extended  itself  over  such  a  large  number  of  people.  He, 
however,  was  ready  to  confess,  that  from  the  great  losses 
the  Dutch  Republic  had  sustained  in  its  colonies,  and 
particularly  from  the  weak  manner  in  which  they  had 
defended  them,  it  could  not  be  expected  that  His  Ma- 
jesty would  consent  to  a  full  and  complete  restitution 
of  them,  and  that  it  was  reasonable  that  some  should 
be  sacrificed  ;  and  he  asked  me  if  I  could  inform  him 
now  far  our  views  extended  on  this  point "?  I  said,  I 
had  reason  to  believe  that  what  His  Majesty  would  re- 
quire, would  be  possessions  and  settlements,  which  would 
not  add  either  to  the  power  or  wealth  of  our  Indian  do- 
minions, but  only  tend  to  secure  to  us  their  safe  and 
unmolested  possession.  "  You  mean  by  this,"  said  M.  De- 
lacroix, "  the  Cape  and  Trincomalee."  I  said  "  they  cer- 
tainly came  under  that  desci'iption,  and  I  saw  little 
prospect  of  their  being  restored  to  the  Dutch.  M.  De- 
lacroix launched  forth  on  this  into  a  most  laboured 
dissertation  on  the  value  of  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope, 
which  he  did  not  consider  at  all  as  a  port  de  reldche, 
but  as  a  possession  wliicli,  in  our  hands,  Avould  become 
one  of  the  most  fertile  and  most  productive  colonies  in 
the  East ;  and  according  to  his  estimation  of  it,  he  did  not 
scruple  i(»  assert,  tliat  it  would  ultimately  be  an  acquisi- 


1796.]  PARIS.  359 

tioii  of  infinitely  greater  importance  to  England  than 
that  of  the  Netherlands  to  France,  and  if  acquiesced  in, 
should  be  reckoned  as  a  full  and  ample  compensation  for 
them  ;  he  added,  if  you  are  master  of  the  Cape  and 
Trincomalee,  we  shall  hold  all  our  settlements  in  India 
and  the  Islands  of  France  and  Bourbon  entirely  at  the 
tenure  of  your  will  and  pleasure  ;  they  will  be  ours 
only  as  long  as  you  choose  we  should  retain  them  ;  you 
will  be  sole  masters  in  India,  and  we  shall  be  entirely 
dependent  upon  you.  I  repeated  to  him  that  it  was  as 
means  of  defence,  not  oflence,  that  those  possessions 
would  be  insisted  on ;  and  that  if  the  matter  was  fairly 
and  dispassionately  discussed,  he  would  find  that  they 
afforded  us  a  great  additional  security,  but  no  additional 
power  of  attack,  even  if  we  were  disposed  to  disturb  the 
peace  of  that  part  of  the  world.  K  these,  and  perhaps 
some  few  other  not  very  material  settlements  belonging 
to  the  Dutch,  were  to  be  insisted  on,  and  if  he  would  be 
pleased  to  enumerate  all  we  should  still  have  to  restore 
to  them,  while  they  had  nothing  to  restore  to  England, 
it  was  impossible  not  to  consider  the  terms  on  which 
His  Majesty  proposed  peace  to  Holland  as  generous  and 
liberal. 

M.  Delacroix  was  not  at  all  disposed  to  agree  with 
me  on  this  point,  and  said,  Holland  stripped  of  these 
possessions  would  be  ruined.  He  then  held  out,  but  as 
if  the  idea  had  just  crossed  his  mind,  the  possibility  of 
indemnifying  the  Dutch  for  their  losses  in  India  by 
giving  them  a  tract  of  territory  towards  the  Meuse  (I 
could  not  find  out  whether  he  meant  Aix  la  Chapelle, 
Liege,  or  the  counties  of  Juliers  and  Berg),  and  hinted 
that  if  this  was  not  to  be  done  an  additional  sugar- 
island  might  perhaps  be  ceded  to  the  Dutch  Ptepublic. 
I  told  him  all  this  might  become  a  subject  of  future 
discussion,  and  I  conceived  that  if  we  could  agree  upon 
the  more  essential  points,  the  Treaty  would  not  break  off 
on  these  secondary  considerations. 

Our  conversation  had  now  been  extremely  long,  and 
M.  Delacroix  ended  by  saying,  that  although  he  had 
taken  upon  himself  to  enter  with  me  thus  far  upon  the 


360  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [1796. 

subject,  yet  I  must  not  consider  anything  he  said  as 
binding  or  as  pledging  the  Republic,  till  such  time  as 
he  had  laid  the  papers  I  had  given  him  before  the 
Directory  ;  and  in  order  to  do  this  with  more  accuracy, 
he  again  asked  me  whether  in  his  Report  he  was  to  state 
the  disuniting  Belgium  from  France  as  a  sine  qua  non 
from  which  His  Majesty  would  not  depart.  I  replied,  It 
certainly  was  a  sine  qua  non,  from  which  His  Majesty 
luould  not  depart. 

M.  Delacroix  repeated  his  concern  at  the  peremptory 
way  in  which  I  made  this  assertion,  and  asked  me  whe- 
ther it  would  admit  of  no  modification.  I  replied  if 
France  could  in  a  contre-projH  point  out  a  practicable 
and  adequate  one,  still  keeping  in  view  that  the  Nether- 
lands must  not  be  French,  or  likely  again  to  fall  into  the 
hands  of  France,  such  a  proposal  might  certainly  be 
taken  into  consideration. 

Here  our  conference  ended  ;  and  as  during  the  whole 
course  of  it  I  bore  in  mind,  that  this,  although  our  first, 
might  be  the  only  favourable  opportunity  I  should  ever 
have  of  speaking  on  the  general  principles  on  which  His 
Majesty  was  disposed  to  treat,  I  endeavoured,  by  advert- 
ing more  or  less  to  almost  every  point  in  my  instruc- 
tions, to  enable  M.  Delacroix  (if  he  reports  faithfully)  to 
state  to  the  Directory  what  I  said,  in  such  a  manner  as 
to  put  it  out  of  their  power  to  misconceive  what  were 
His  Majesty's  intentions ;  to  remove  all  possibility  of 
cavil  on  this  side,  and  to  bring  them  to  a  clear  and 
distinct  answer  whether  they  woidd  agree  to  open  a 
negotiation  on  the  principle  of  the  status  ante  bellum, 
or  on  one  differing  from  it  only  in  form,  not  in  sub- 
stance. 

I  have,  I  believe,  given  this  conference  nearly  verbatim 
to  your  Lordship,  and  I  was  particularl}'  anxious  to  do 
this  correctly  and  minutely,  as  well  that  you  may  judge 
on  the  propriety  of  what  I  said  myself,  as  that  what 
M.  Delacroix  said  to  me,  might  be  accurately  known  and 
remain  on  record. 

It  nuist,  however,  be  remembered,  (as  I  observed  in 
the  beginning  of  this  despatch)  that  he  spoke  from  him- 


1796.]  PARIS.  361 

self,  as  Minister  indeed,  but  not  under  the  immediate 
instructions  of  the  Directory  ;  and  this  consideration  will 
take  a  little  away  from  the  singularity  of  some  of  the 
positions  he  advanced. 

I  confess,  my  Lord,  from  the  civility  of  his  manners, 
from  his  apparent  readiness  to  discourse,  and  even  enter 
upon  the  subject,  the  impression  which  remained  on  my 
mind  on  leaving  him,  was,  that  the  negotiation  would  go 
on,  but  be  liable  to  so  many  difficulties,  and  some  of 
them  so  nearly  insurmountable,  that  knowing  as  I  do  the 
opinion  of  the  Directory,  I  saw  little  prospect  of  its  ter- 
minating successfully.  But  I  did  not  expect  the  conduct 
of  the  Directory  would  immediately  be  such  as  to  evince 
a  manifest  inclination  and  even  determination  to  break  it 
oif  on  the  first  proposals  ;  and  I  was  not  a  little  sur- 
prised at  receiving  on  Sunday  at  3  p.m.,  the  enclosed 
letter  from  M,  Delacroix,  (A).  He  sent  it  me  by  the 
principal  Secretary  of  his  Department  (M.  Guiraudet), 
who  communicated  to  me  the  original  of  the  Arrete  of 
the  Directory,  of  which  this  letter,  abating  the  alteration 
in  the  forms,  is  a  literal  copy. 

After  perusing  it,  I  asked  M.  Guiraudet  whether  he 
was  informed  of  its  contents,  and  this  led  to  a  short  con- 
versation on  them.  I  told  him  that  both  the  demands 
were  so  unexpected  that  I  could  not  reply  to  them  off 
hand  ;  that  as  to  the  last  it  was  quite  unusual  to  sign 
Memorials  which  were  annexed  to  a  Note  actually  signed ; 
and  that  I  scarcely  felt  authorized  to  depart  from  what 
was,  I  believe,  an  invariable  rule.  That  as  to  the  second 
demand,  made  in  so  peremptory  and  unprecedented  a 
way,  I  could  without  much  hesitation  say  at  once  that  it 
could  not  be  complied  with.  M.  Guiraudet  lamented 
this  very  much,  and  said,  that  this  being  the  case,  he 
feared  our  principles  of  negotiation  would  never  coin- 
cide. I  agreed  with  him  in  my  expressions  of  concern. 
We  conversed  together  afterwards  for  some  time,  but 
nothing  passed  at  all  worthy  of  remark.  I  told  him  I 
should  send  my  answer  the  next  day.  On  reflecting 
more  attentively  on  the  request  that  I  would  sign  the 
two  Memorials  which  I  had  given  in,  it  struck  me  that 


862  DIARIES   AKD   CORRESPONDENCE.  [1790. 

the  complying  with  it  pledged  me  to  nothing,  and  that 
it  was  merely  gratifying  them  on  a  point  of  form,  in- 
sisted on  peevishly  ;  and  that  the  doing  it  would  put 
them  still  more  in  the  wrong. 

As  to  the  strange  demand  of  an  ultimatum,  it  was  per- 
fectly clear  what  it  became  me  to  say  ;  and  I  hope  that 
in  the  enclosed  answer  (B)  (which  I  sent  yesterday  morn- 
ing at  twelve  o'clock)  to  M.  Delacroix,  I  shall  be  found 
to  have  adhered  as  closely  as  possible  to  the  spirit  of  my 
instructions. 

Yesterday  evening,  at  half-past  nine,  M.  Guiraudet 
brought  me  the  Note  (C),  to  which  I  immediately  replied 
by  the  Note  (D).  They  require  no  comment ;  and  as  I 
intend  leaving  Paris  to-morrow  and  travelling  with  all 
convenient  speed,  I  shall  so  soon  have  it  in  my  power 
to  say  the  little  which  remains  to  say,  relative  to  this 
sudden,  though  perhaps  unlooked-for  close  of  my  Mission, 
that  I  need  not  trespass  any  further  on  your  Lordship's 
patience. 

I  thought  it  would  be  proper  for  His  ]\Iajesty's  ]\Iinister 
at  Vienna  to  receive  the  earliest  intelligence  of  the  nego- 
tiation being  broken  off.  I  therefore  despatched  a  mes- 
senger to  Vienna  with  copies  of  the  several  papers  which 
passed  between  me  and  M.  Delacroix  since  our  con- 
ference, and  also  a  succinct  account  of  what  passed  in  it. 
This  messenger  left  this  place  to-day  at  three  p.m. 


(A.) 

Paris,  le  28  Frimairc,  an  .'j. 

LE  MINISTRE  DES  RELATIONS  EXTERIEURES  AU  LORD  MALMES- 
BURY,  COMMISSAIRE  PLENIPOTENTIARE  DE  SA  MAJESTE 
BRITANNIQUE. 

Monsieur, — Le  Directoire  Executif  a  entendii  la  lec- 
ture de  la  Note  Officielle  signee  de  vous,  et  des  deux 
Memoires  Confidentiels  uon  signes,  qui  y  (^^toient  joints, 
et  que  vous  ni'avez  remis  hier.  II  me  cliarge  cxprcss^- 
ment  de    vous    declarer  qu'il    no   peat   ecouter  aucunc 


1796.]  PARIS.  1^63 

Note  confidentielle  non  signee,  et  de  vous  requerir  de 
me  remettre  officiellement  dans  les  vingt  quatre  lieures 
votre  ultimatum,  signe  de  vous. 

Agr6ez,  &c.  Ch.  Delacroix. 


(B.) 

NOTE    FROM    LORD    MALMESBURY    TO     M.    DELACROIX. 

Paris,  19  Dec,  1796. 

Le  Lord  Malmesbury  en  reponse  a  la  lettre  qui  le 
Ministre  des  Relations  Ext^rieures  a  bien  voulu  lui  faire 
passer  hier  par  les  mains  du  Secretaire  General  de  son 
Department,  doit  remarquer  qu'en  signant  la  Note  officielle 
qu'il  a  remise  a  ce  Ministre  par  ordre  de  sa  Cour,  il  a 
cru  satisfaire  a  toutes  les  formalit^s  d'usage  et  donner 
I'autlienticite  necessaire  aux  deux  Memoires  Confiden- 
tiels  qui  y'etoient  joints.  Cependant  pour  aplanir  toutes 
les  difficultes  en  autant  que  cela  depend  de  lui,  il  adopte 
volontiers  les  formes  qui  lui  sont  indiquees  par  I'arrete  du 
Directorie  Ex^cutif,  and  s'empresse  d'envoyer  au  ]\Iinistre 
des  Relations  Exterieures,  les  deux  ]\Iemoires  signes  de 
sa  main. 

Quant  a  la  demande  positive  d'un  tdtimatum,  le  Lord 
IVIalmesbury  observe  que  c'est  vouloir  fermer  la  porte  a 
toute  n^gociation,  que  d'insister  la  dessus  d'une  mauiere 
aussi  peremptoire,  avant  que  les  deux  Puissances  se 
soient  communiqu^es  leurs  pretentions  respectives,  et 
que  les  articles  du  trait6  futur  aient  ^t^  soumis  aux 
discussions  que  demandent  necessairement  les  differens 
int6"ets  qu'il  s'agit  de  concilier.  II  ne  pent  done  rien 
ajouter  aux  assurances  qu'il  a  deja  donnees  au  ]\Iinistre 
des  Relations  Exterieures,  tant  de  vive  voix  que  dans 
sa  Note  Officielle ;  et  il  reitere  "  qu'il  est  pret  a  entrer 
avec  ce  ]\Iinistre  dans  toutes  les  explications  que  I'^tat 
et  le  progres  de  la  negociation  pourront  admettre,  et 
qu'il  ne  manquera  pas  d'apporter  a  la  discussion  des 
propositions  de  sa  Cour,  ou  de  tel  contre-projH  qui 
pourrait  lui  etre  remis  de  la  part  du  Directoire  Execiiiif, 


364  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [l796. 

cette  franchise  et  cet  esprit  de  conciliation  qui  r^pondent 
aux  sentimens  justes  et  pacifiques  de  sa  Cour." 

Le  Lord  Malmesbury  prie  le  Ministre  des  Relations 
Exterieures  d'agreer  les  assurances  de  sa  haute  considera- 
tion. 


(C) 

Paris,  le  29  frimaire,  an  5  de  la  Republique 
fian^'aise  line  et  indivisible. 

Le  Soussigne  Ministre  des  Relations  Exterieures  est 
charge  par  le  Directoire  Executif  de  repondre  au  Notes 
du  Lord  Malmesbury,  des  27  et  29  frimaire  (17  et  19 
Dec.  V.S.),  que  le  Directoire  Executif  n'ecoutera  aucune 
proposition  contraire  a  la  constitution,  aux  lois,  et  aux 
traites  qui  lient  la  Repul)lique.  Et  attendu  que  le  Lord 
Malmesbury  annonce  a  chaque  communication,  qu'il  a 
besoin  d'un  avis  de  sa  Cour,  d'ou  il  r^sulte  qu'il  remplit 
un  role  purement  passif  dans  la  n^gociation,  ce  qui  rend 
sa  presence  a  Paris  inutile  et  inconvenante,  le  Sous- 
signe est  en  outre  charge  de  lui  notifier  de  se  retirer 
de  Paris  dans  deux  fois  vingt  quatre  heures,  avec  toutes 
les  personnes  qui  Font  accompagne  et  suivi,  et  de  quitter 
de  suite  le  territoire  de  la  RepulDlique.  Le  Soussigne 
declare  au  surplus,  au  nom  du  Directoire  Executif,  que 
si  le  Cabinet  Britannique  desire  le  paix,  le  Directoire 
Executif  est  pret  a  suivre  les  Negociations,  d'apres  les 
bases  indiques  dans  la  presente  Note,  par  envoi  reci- 
proque  de  couriers.  Cn.  Delacroix. 


(D.) 

Paris,  ce  20  Dec.,  1796. 

Le  Lord  Malmesbury  s'empressc  d'accuser  la  reception 
de  la  Note  du  Ministre  des  Relations  Exterieures  en  date 
d'hier.  II  se  dispose  a  quitter  Paris  des  demain,  et 
demande  en  consequence  les  j)assei)orts  necessaires  pour 
lui  et  sa  suite. 


179G.]  PARIS.  365 

n  prie  le  Ministre  des  Relations  Exterieures  d'agreer 
les  assurances  de  sa  haute  consideration. 


LETTER  FROM  LORD  MALMESBURY  TO  LORD  GRENVILLE. 

Paris,  Tuesday,  20th  Dec,  1796. 

My  dear  Lord, — I  am  sure  jou  will  forgive  my  not 
answering  fully  your  kind  private  letter  by  Ellis  ;  and 
allow  me  to  postpone  the  doing  so  till  we  meet,  which 
although  it  is  perhaps  a  little  sooner  than  you  expected 
it  would  be,  is  not  at  all  sooner  than  I  wished.  I  hope  I 
am  not  mistaken  in  thinking  we  have  died  well ;  certain  I 
am  that  I  quit  this  ivorlcl  without  regret. 

The  death  of  the  Empress  of  Russia  has,  I  have  the 
best  reasons  to  believe,  very  much  influenced  their  con- 
duct here.'" 

We  shall  be  at  Calais  on  Saturday  night,  or  Sunday 
morning.  Ever,  my  dear  Lord,  &c. 

Malmesbury. 

P.S.  I  have  sent  a  messenger  to  Vienna. 


letter    from    MR.    CANNING    TO    LORD    MALMESBURY. 

Sunday,  25th  Dec,  1796. 

My  dear  Lord  Malmesbury, — Brooks  insists  upon  going 
to  meet  you  at  Dover,  and  I  cannot  let  him  go  without  a 
line  from  me  to  hail  your  arrival  ;  though  I  am  so  l)usy 
in  preparing  for  your  reception  a  printed  account  of  your 
transactions  in  Paris,  that  I  have  scarce  a  moment  to  tell 
you  how  glad  I  shall  be  to  see  you. 

You  will  find  us  all  in  consternation,  but  I  hope  many 
as  stout  as  you  can  desire. 

A  Message  will  be  sent  to  Parliament  to-morrow.  The 
Correspondence  between  you  and  Delacroix,  Notes,  Me- 

*  Her  successor,  Paul,  was  at  this  time  in  the  French  interests. 


366  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [l796. 

morials,  &c.  will  be  laid  before  the  Houses  and  pub- 
lished, together  with  your  last  despatch,  which  by  the 
way,  is  admirable. 

Thursday  will  be  fixed  for  taking  the  Message  into 
consideration. 

I  do  not  conceive  it  possible  that  there  can  be  any 
debate,  for  never  surely  was  a  case  so  clear  as  ours. 
But  you  must  be  prepared,  and  so  must  George  and 
Leveson,  to  answer  all  sorts  of  questions  in  your  re- 
pective  Houses.  You  may  con  your  speeches  over  upon 
the  road. 

Adieu — we  have  much  to  talk  over  when  we  meet.  I 
will  not  now  begin  upon  anything. 

Ever,  &c.  G.  C. 


Wednesday,  Dec.  21.— Left  Paris  at  half-past  11 — to 
Chantilly  by  4.  Dinner  at  post-house  excellent  — charge 
exorbitant.     Slept  at  I'Hotel  d'Angleterre. 


Thursday,  Dec.  22. — Left  Chantilly  at  8 — got  to 
Amiens  by  half-past  6 — rain  the  whole  way.  Post  at 
Amiens  a  good  inn. 


Friday,  Dec.  23. — Left  Amiens  at  half-past  7 — got  to 
]\Iontreuil  at  half-past  10.  Horrid  weather.  Good  inn  at 
Montreuil  a  la  Cour  de  France. 


Saturday,  Dec.  24. — From  Montreuil  to  Calais,  eight 
posts  and  a  half,  eleven  hours'- — roads  bad — clear  frost. 
No  flag  of  truce  at  Dover.     Cannot  sail. 


Sunday,  Dec.  2.5. — Called  on  Commissary — he  very 
civil.  Osborne  arrived  at  12.  Wind  fair  all  day — but 
could  not  get  in — changed  in  the  night. 

*  This  journey  now  takes  four  hours,  travelling  post. 


1796.]  PARIS.  367 

Monday,  Dec.  26. — High  wind — rough  sea — no  going. 
Commissary  called  in  the  evening  of  25th — complains  of 
Brook's  loquaciousness.  Osborne  brings  passengers  — 
wrong— stupid  fellow.  Wind  increases  in  the  evening — 
no  prospect  of  sailing. 

Tuesday,  Dec.  27. — High  east  wind — great  sea — no 
getting  out — remained  at  home.  Bookseller  Bellegarde — 
Mouron,  Maire  of  Calais,  called  on  me — very  civil.  All 
my  Notes  in  the  French  papers.  No  remarks  on  them  in 
V Eclair  —  some  very  proper  ones  in  the  Censeur. 


Wednesday,  Dec.  28. — Thaw.  Wind  S.E.  Prospect  of 
going  in  the  evening,  or  rather  night.  At  bookseller's. 
The  Commissary  of  the  Executive  Power  called  on  me — 
extremely  civil  and  attentive.    Lady  Rodney  comes.    The 

Commissary  told   me   that   C e   formerly,   with   the 

Duchess  of  K ,  had  taken  many  prizes.     Sailed  at 

1  A.M. — got  to  Dover  by  7 — attended  to  the  boat  by  mu- 
nicipal officers,  but  all  very  civil. 


Thursday,  Dec.  29. — Left  Dover  at  9 — got  to  London 
at  half-past  4.     Dined  with  Pitt. 

[The  unavoidable  failure  of  this  attempt  to  make  a 
peace  with  France,  gave  Mr.  Fox  and  the  Opposition  an 
opportunity  of  attacking  the  Government  in  both  Houses, 
on  the  plea  that  they  had  degraded  the  country.  The 
King  sent  a  ]\Iessage  to  Parliament  with  copies  of  the  papers 
respecting  the  Negotiation  on  the  26th  of  December,  and 
Pitt  moved  an  Address  on  the  30th,  declaring  that,  as  the 
continuance  of  the  war  was  entirely  attributable  to  the 
French,  it  was  incumbent  upon  Parliament  to  afford  to  the 
Government  their  most  zealous  support  to  meet  the  emer- 
gency. Despite  the  oratorical  efforts  of  Fox  and  Erskine, 
the  Address  was  carried  in  the  Commons  by  212  to  37 ; 
and  in  the  Lords,  where  Lord  Grenville  moved,  and  Lord 


368  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [l796. 

Guilford  opposed  it,  by  86  to  8.  The  overbearing  Notes 
and  implacable  feeling  of  the  French  Directory  roused  a 
spirit  which  thinned  the  ranks  of  the  Opposition,  and  left 
their  leaders  in  unworthy  minorities. 

Two  days  before  Lord  Malmesbury  left  Paris,  Hoche 
sailed  from  Brest  with  Admiral  Bouvet's  fleet  on  his  fruit- 
less attempt  to  invade  Ireland,  and  must  have  received  his 
commands  to  do  so  at  the  same  moment,  if  not  before  the 
Directory  had  sent  their  last  Note  to  our  Ambassador. 
The  war,  therefore,  continued  to  rage,  proving  fatal  to  the 
Austrians  in  Italy,  where  Buonaparte  was  running  his 
early  course  of  victory  :  but  glorious  upon  the  sea  to  us, 
who  gained  the  battle  of  St.  Vincent,  and  continually 
swept  the  French  and  Spanish  cruisers  from  the  British 
Channel.] 


Ta c  -SimiJ  e    oJ'  Aid  o  ov  ap  1 1  s 


y^aJ^i^'iA^ 


?.^^^:.^^^^  .v^^^W^ 


'   ^^auD^j. 


^^^-^^ey,Jirenj3.^..^^-^^^f^^^^^^  /, 


/,9^^ 


1797.]  mo 


LISLE. 


[On  the  24th  of  May,  1797,  Buonaparte  made  the  Pro- 
visional Treaty  of  Montebello  with  the  Emperor  ;  and  Pitt, 
still  eager  for  an  honourable  peace,  renewed,  on  the  1st 
of  June,  his  overtures  to  j\I.  Delacroix.  They  were  this 
time  received  with  courtesy,  and  Lord  Malmesbury  was 
again  appointed  to  conduct  the  Js^egotiation.  Lord  Gren- 
ville  was  decidedly  opposed  to  this  step,  and  long  argued 
it  with  Pitt ;  but  the  latter  remained  firm,  repeatedly 
declaring  that  it  was  his  duty  as  an  English  Minister 
and  a  Christian,  to  use  every  effort  to  stop  so  bloody 
and  wasting  a  war.'-  He  sent  Lord  Malmesbury  to  Lisle 
with  the  assurance  that  "he  (Pitt)  would  stifle  every 
feeling  of  pride  to  the  utmost  to  produce  the  desired 
result ; "  and  Lord  Malmesbury  himself  Avent  upon  his 
Mission,  anxious  to  close  his  public  life  by  an  act  which 
would  spare  so  much  misery,  and  restore  so  much  happi- 
ness to  mankind. 

On  the  brink  of  success,  it  will  be  seen  by  what  unfore- 
seen events  he  failed,  for  Europe  was  destined  to  eighteen 
more  years  of  battles. 

From  the  following  letter  to  Sir  Gilbert  Elliott,  Lord 
Malmesbury  appears  to  have  wished  for  retirement  after 
his  Alission  to  Paris ;  but  he  probably  deceived  himself, 
and  mistook  physical  weakness  for  a  wearied  mind,  as, 
when  called  upon  for  service,  he  readily  obeyed.] 

*  This  is  sheuTi  in  several  letters  from  Lord  Malmesbury,  Mr.  Canning, 
and  Mr.  Pitt  himself,  in  the  Harris'  papers. 


VOL.  III.  ,  2  B 


370  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [l797. 


LETTER    FROM    LORD    MALMESBURY    TO    SIR    G.    ELLIOTT. 

Paris,  Dec.  18th,  1796. 

My  dear  Elliott, — As  there  is  a  report  in  the  news- 
papers of  this  place  that  you  are  at  Naples,  I  shall  try  to 
shoot  you  flying,  particularly  as  I  take  it  for  granted  you 
will  not  be  sorry  to  hear  that  your  wife  and  children  were 
all  well,  and  at  Bath,  on  the  11th  instant.  Harriet  was 
also  there,  and  Sir  George,  and  George  Cornewall.  All  our 
children  in  high  health  and  sftirits,  and,  what  is  better, 
promising  all  to  be  an  honour  and  comfort  to  us  whenever 
we  shall  be  old  and  quiet  enough  to  feel  this  blessing. — I 
am  becoming  the  first  very  fast,  and  do  not  despair  that 
the  other  will  follow  ;  but  it  is  no  easy  or  short  task  to 
still  the  swell  which  follows  necessarily  such  a  storm  as 
has  been  blowing  (and  indeed  still  blows)  for  such  a 
length  of  time.  I  hope,  my  dear  Elliott,  that  we  shall 
both  of  us  ere  long  meet  in  our  own  country,  and  there, 
after  the  sea  of  troubles  on  which  we  have  been  so  much 
tossed  about,  enjoy  all  the  pleasant  feelings  that  a  recol- 
lection of  these  things  affords, 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Peploe  are  at  Vienna  :  report,  but  I  do 
not  give  it  as  at  all  authentic,  says,  that  Pitt  is  to  marry 
Eleanor  Eden.  He  has  behaved  with  the  greatest  kind- 
ness and  attention  towards  me  in  the  several  Missions  on 
which  I  have  been  employed  since  we  parted  ;  and  I  am 
now  as  eager  to  have  them  end  as  I  was  anxious  to  receive 
them  when  we  conversed  three  years  ago  on  the  subject. 
Ever  yours  most  sincerely  and  affectionately, 

Malmesbury. 


letter    from    lord    malmesbury    to    MR.  CANNING. 

Park  Place,  Satunlay,  10th  June,  1797.     11  a.m. 

My  dear  Canning, — I  am  very  much  obliged  to  Mr. 
Pitt  for  the  manner  in  wliich  he  has  felt  and  understood 
what  I  conveyed  to  him  through  you  ;  I  can  truly  say 
that  I  do  not  allow  any  private  or  personal  considerations, 


1797.]  LISLE.  371 

taken  simply  as  such,  to   influence  me  on  the  present 
occasion. 

I  held  it  a  duty  to  state,  that  it  appeared  to  me  pos- 
sible, that  from  the  publication  of  my  last  despatch,'""  I 
might  be  considered  as  an  exceptionable  person  to  resume 
the  negotiation  at  Paris  ;  if  this  is  not  seen  in  the  same 
light  by  the  Cabinet,  I  have  nothing  to  add ;  and  it  only 
remains  with  me  to  say,  that  for  my  own  satisfaction,  I 
had  much  rather  meet  again  Ch.  Delacroix  face  to  face, 
than  avoid  him.  I  beg  you  would  repeat  to  Mr.  Pitt 
that  I  am  ready  to  be  guided  imi^licitly  by  his  opinion 
on  this  occasion,  and  that  my  sincere  desire  is  to  do  what 
is  right  to  be  done. 

I  will  not  talk  of  my  health  ;  I  soon  shall  not  have 
leisure  to  be  sick,  and  while  I  have  leisure,  I  will  try  to 
get  quite  well.  I  find  I  must  lose  G.  Ellis  ;  his  reasons 
are  good  ones,  and  I  ought  not  to  combat  them.  I  wish 
you  could  come  here  with  him  and  Leveson  to-morrow. 

I  am,  &c.  Malmesbury. 


LETTER    FROM    LORD    MALMESBURY    TO    SIR    GILBERT   ELLIOTT. 

Park  Place,  Sunday,  11th  June,  1797. 

My  dear  Sir  Gilbert, — Many  thanks  for  your  letter, 
and  all  the  kind  things  it  contains.  In  regard  to  Lord 
St.  Helens,  I  have  reason  to  believe  that  he  was  never 
thouglit  of  for  the  Paris  Mission,  and  I  am  persuaded  he 
never  thought  of  it  himself ;  and  I  have  no  doubt,  from 
the  footing  of  intimacy  on  which  we  live,  and  have  lived 
for  so  long  a  while,  that  he  would  have,  previous  to  any 
step  or  order  to  obtain  it,  have  communicated  with  me. 
I  know  from  the  best  authority,  that  the  Cabinet  have 
unanimously  decided  it  should  be  myself.  I  held  it 
right  to  remind  them  of  the  publication  of  my  despatches ; 


*  Lord  Grenville  had  published  Lord  Malmesbury's  last  despatch  before 
he  was  well  able  to  get  out  of  France,  wliich,  in  the  excited  state  of  tliat 
country,  might  have  placed  his  Ambassador  in  considerable  jeopardy.  The 
contents  of  this  paper  would  naturally  be  offensive  to  Delacroix,  and  render 
it  awkward  for  him  and  Lord  Malmesbury  to  meet  again. 

2  B  2 


372  DIARIES  AND  CORRESPONDENCE.  [1797. 

of  the  awkwardness  this  might  create  between  Charles 
Delacroix  and  me,  if  we  were  to  meet  again  as  pleni- 
potentiaries. The  Cabinet  did  not  think  this  a  tanta- 
mount reason  for  mj  not  being  appointed ;  liheravi 
animam  meam,  and  I  probably  shall  go  soon  after  the 
return  of  the  next  messenger.  I  feel  better,  and  shall, 
I  dare  say,  be  equal  to  the  bodily  fatigue  of  the  business ; 
and  no  great  exertions  of  the  mind  will  be  necessary  on 
this  occasion.  My  intention  is  to  be  in  town  on  Tuesday, 
in  order  to  be  in  readiness.  I  hope  to  find  you  there, 
since  I  fear  you  will  not  come  here,  either  to-day  or 
to-morrow.  It  is  a  very  great  event  indeed — the  re- 
storation of  order  at  the  Nore  :""'  if  it  ends  right,  good 
instead  of  mischief  will  come  from  the  last  mutiny.  All 
here  well,  and  join  in  love. 

Ever  yours,  most  truly  and  affectionately, 

Malmesbury. 


[On  the  17th  of  June,  Lord  Grenville  informed  M.  Dela- 
croix, that  Lord  Malmesbury  would  be  charged  with  the 
Negotiation  proposed,  pointedly  declaring  that  "  Ills  Ma- 
jesty will  not  abandon  the  interests  of  his  Ally  the  Queen 
of  Portugal."  To  this  Note  he  received  the  following 
answer,  and  it  will  be  observed  that  the  correspondence 
began  by  some  sparring  on  both  sides,  f] 

NOTE    OFFICIELLE. 

Paris,  le  2  Messidor,  an  5. 

Le  Soussign6,  Ministre  des  Relations  Exterieures,  a  mis, 
aussitot  sa  reception,  sous  les  yeux  du  Directoire  Ex^cutif, 
la  Note  Officielle,  que  lui  a  adressee  le  Lord  Grenville,  en 
date  du  17  Juin,  1797.  (v.  s.)  II  s'empresse  d'y  r^pondre 
conform^ment  aux  ordres  qu'il  a  re^us. 

*  The  Englisli  fleet  had  been  in  open  mutiny .  Some  just  concessions 
were  made  to  tiie  seamen's  claims,  and  Parker,  the  ringleader,  was  executed. 
There  never  was  a  more  critical  moment  for  the  country. 

t  Our  staunch  fidelity  to  our  allies,  during  the  preceding  and  present 
negotiations,  reflect  great  honour  on  this  country,  when  compared  with 
their  abandonment  of  England. 


1797.]  LISLE.  373 

Le  Directoire,  partageant  bien  sincerement  les  senti- 
mens  pacifiques  que  temoigne  Sa  Majesty  Britannique,  et 
voulant  amener  le  plus  promptemeut  possible  les  negocia- 
tions  a  une  heureuse  issue,  persiste  a  deraander  que  les 
Negociateurs  respectifs  s'occupent,  aussitot  leur  reunion, 
d'un  Traite  Deiiuitif.  II  accepte  avec  satisfaction  le  cou- 
sentemeut  de  Sa  i\Iajeste  Britannique,  a  cet  6gard,  ex- 
prime  dans  la  Note  de  Lord  Grenville. 

Le  Directoire  consent  a  ce  que  Sa  Majeste  Britannique 
fasse,  par  son  Pl^nipotentiaire,  les  propositions  ou  stipula- 
tions qu'il  jugera  convenables  pour  Sa  ^lajeste  Tres  Fidele, 
comme  reciproquement  les  Plenipotentiaires  de  la  Re- 
publique  en  feront  pour  ses  Allies,  Sa  Majeste  Catholique, 
et  la  llepublique  Batave. 

Le  Directoire  consent  a  ce  que  la  JJ^egociation  soit 
ouverte  avec  le  Lord  ^lalmesbury  ;  cependant  un  autre 
choix  lui  eut  paru  d'un  plus  lieureux  augure  pour  la 
prompte  conclusion  de  la  paix. 

Le  Directoire  demande  qu'il  soit  etabli  en  principe '" 
que  clmque  paquebot  Anglais  qui  aura  transports  le  Ple- 
nipotentiaire  ou  un  courier,  repartira  sur  le  champ,  et  ne 
pourra  sejourner.  II  donnera  des  ordres  pour  qu'il  soit 
fourni  sans  delai  un  paquebot  Fran^ais  a  cliacuu  des 
couriers  que  le  Plenipotentiaire  de  Sa  Majeste  Britan- 
nique expediera.  II  desire  toutes  fois  que  les  couriers 
ne  soient  pas  trop  multiplies  ;  leur  multiplication  ajant 
ete  une  des  principales  causes  de  la  rupture  des  n^gocia- 
tions  precedentes. 

D'apres  les  explications  ci-dessus,  il  devient  inutile  de 
transmettre  au  Lord  Grenville  un  nouveau  passeport ;  les 
restrictions  qu'il  craignoit  de  voir  dans  celui  qui  lui  a  et6 
adress6,  se  trouvant  entierement  levees. 

Les  Plenipotentiaires  Fran^ais  seront  rendus  a  Lille  a 
I'epoque  oil  le  Lord  Malmesburj  pourra  j  etre  rendu  lui- 
merae.  Ch.  Delacrolx. 


*  A  pedantic  expression  as  relating  to  packets,  afterwards  ridiculed  by 
Maret. 


374  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [l797. 


NOTE    OFFICIELLE. 

A  Westminster,  ce  26  Juin,  1797. 

Le  Soussign6  a  mis  sous  les  yeux  du  Roi  la  Note 
Officielle  du  Gouvernement  Francois  qu'il  a  re^ u  le  23  du 
mois  couraut. 

Sur  les  deux  premiers  articles  de  cette  Note,  les  deux 
parties  sont  d'accord.  II  n'y  a  done  rien  a  aj  outer  la 
dessus  aux  explications  prec6dentes,  en  consequence  des- 
quelles  explications  Lord  Malmesburj  procedera  sans 
delai  a  Lille,  pour  entrer  en  n^gociation  avec  les  Plenipo- 
tentiaires  Fran^ais,  pour  la  confection  d'un  Traits  Defiuitif, 
la  remarque  du  Directoire  sur  le  choix  que  Sa  ]\Iajeste 
a  juge  a  propos  de  faire  n'etant  certainement  pas  de 
nature  a  exiger  aucune  r^ponse. 

Le  Gouvernement  Britannique  consent  a  I'arrangement 
propos6  pour  les  paquebots  ;  pourvu  qu'il  soit  fourni  re- 
gulierement  et  sans  le  moins  d^lai  un  paquebot  Fran^ais 
pour  chaque  courier  que  le  Pl^nipotentiaire  Britannique 
se  verra  dans  le  cas  d'expedier :  I'exercise  de  son  droit  in- 
contestable a  cet  ^gard  ne  devant  et  ne  pouvant  ^tre 
regl^  que  par  sa  discretion  seule,  dans  la  vue  d'amener  la 
n^gociation  dont  il  est  charg6  a  une  prompte  et  heureuse 
fin. 

Pour  ce  qui  est  de  la  rupture  de  la  derniere  n^gocia- 
tion,  les  circonstances  et  les  motifs  en  sont  connus  a  toute 
I'Europe,  et  ce  n'est  pas  au  moment  d'entamer  une  nouYelle 
discussion  pacifique,  que  le  Gouvernement  Britannique 
pense  qu'il  peut-etre  utile  de  les  rappeler. 

Lord  Malmesbury  partira  de  Douvres  le  30  de  ce  mois, 
et  il  regiera  son  depart  de  Calais  selon  la  notification 
qu'il  J  recevra  du  jour  oii  les  jMinistres  Francois  pourront 
^tre  rendus  a  Lille. 

(Signe)         Grenville. 


1797.]  LISLE.  375 


EXTRACTS    OF    A    LETTER  FROM    LORD    MALMESBURY   TO 
LORD    GRENVILLE. 

Spring  Garden,  24th  June,  1797. 

As  I  understand  that  there  are  expressions  of  dissatis- 
faction (in  the  answer  received  yesterday  from  Paris) 
on  my  being  again  the  person  appointed  to  resume  the 
Negotiations  for  peace,  I  should  look  upon  myself  as  un- 
deserving the  confidence  which  His  Majesty  has  been 
graciously  pleased  to  place  in  me,  and  at  the  same  time 
be  acting  in  direct  contradiction  to  those  principles  on 
which  I  wish  the  whole  of  my  conduct  to  rest,  if  I  were 
not  to  intreat  your  Lordship,  that  no  considerations  per- 
sonal to  me,  may  in  any  degree  influence  the  determina- 
tion of  His  Majesty's  confidential  servants,  as  to  the  pro- 
priety or  impropriety  of  my  being  employed  on  this  occa- 
sion. 

It  is  my  earnest  desire  to  waive  all  private  feelings,  and 
to  do  solely  what  may  be  deemed  the  most  expedient  for 
the  public  service.  I,  after  having  expressed  my  own 
opinion  freely  and  sincerely,  leave  the  decision  with  those 
under  whose  directions  I  am  to  act. 

N.B. — This  letter,  which  I  sent  to  Lord  Grenville  while 
the  Cabinet  was  sitting,  was  immediately  read  to  them  by 
him — they  all  unanimously  determined  that  I  should  be 
sent  on  this  Negotiation  in  preference  to  any  other 
person.'" 


NOTE    OFFICIELLE. 

Paris,  Ic  11  Messidor,  an  5. 

Le  Ministre  des  Relations  Ext6rieures  Soussign6  s'est 
empresse  de  mettre  sous  les  yeux  du  Directoire  Executif 
la  Note  Officielle,  que  lui  a  adress6e  le  Lord  Grenville  en 
date  du  26  Juin  (v.s.)   8  Messidor,  present  mois.      En 

*  The  truth  of  tliis  original  note  is  confirmed  by  letters  from  Pitt  and 
Cainiing,  in  the  Harris  Papers. 


376  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [1797- 

reponse  c\  cette  Note  il  a  I'lionueur  de  declarer  au  Lord 
Grenville  que  les  Plenipotentiaires  charges  par  le  Direc- 
toire  de  la  N^gociation,  sont  d6ja  reunis  a  Lille ;  et 
que  les  conferences  pourront  etre  entamees  aussitot  que 
le  Plenipotentiaire  de  Sa  Alajeste  Britaunique  s'y  sera 
rendu. 

II  a  ete  pourvu  a  ce  que  les  paquebots  ne  manquassent 
jamais  aux  couriers  qu'il  jugera  a  propos  d'exp^dier  a 
Londres. 

Le  Soussigue  previent  egalement  le  Lord  Grenville, 
qu'une  copie  de  la  presente  Note  sera  remise  au  Lord 
Malmesbury,  a  son  arrivee  a  Calais,  a  fin  que  rien  ne 
s'oppose  h  son  depart  imm^diat  pour  Lille. 

Pour  copie  conforme, 

Le  Ministre  des  Relations  Ext^rieures, 

Ch.  Delacroix. 

[A  copy  of  this  was  sent  to  Lord  Malmesbury  by 
M.  Delacroix.] 


LETTER    FROM    LORD    MALMESBURY    TO    M.    DELACROIX. 

A  Calais,  ce  3me  Juillet,  1797. 

Le  Lord  Malmesbury,  qui  vient  d'arriver  dans  ce 
moment  a  Calais,  a  I'honneur  de  remercier  le  Ministre 
des  Relations  Exterieures  de  la  communication  de  la  Note 
Officielle  qu'il  a  bien  voulu  lui  faire  parvenir.  H  s'em- 
presse  d'en  accuser  la  reception,  et  se  propose  de  partir 
aussitot  que  ses  equipages  seront  d^barques,  pour  se 
rendre  au  lieu  de  sa  destination. 

Le  Lord  Malmesbury  saisit  avec  empressement  cette 
occasion  de  renouveler  au  ]\Iinistre  des  Relations  Exte- 
rieures les  assurances  de  sa  haute  consideration. 


1707.]  LISLE.  377 


EXTRAIT    DES    REGISTRES  DES  DELIBERATIONS  DU  DIRECTOIRE 

EXECUTIF. 

Paris,  Ic  25  Prairial,  Fan  5,  de  la  Republicjue 
Fran^aise,  nne  et  indivisible. 

Le  Directoire  Ex^cutif  arrete  ce  qui  suit : — 

Les  Citoyens  Le  Tourneur,'-  Pl^ville  le  Peley-f  et 
xMaretjJ  sont  nommes  Miuistres  Plenipotentiaires  de  la 
Republique  Fran^aise  pour  la  is^egociatiou  de  la  Paix  avec 
TAngieterre. 

Le  Citojen  Le  Tourueur  est  nomm^  President  de  la 
Legation. 

Le  Citoyen  Colchen,§  en  est  nomm^  Secretaire. 

Le  ]\Iinistre  des  Pielations  Exterieures  est  charge  de 
I'execution  du  present  arrete,  qui  ne  sera  point  imprim^ 
quant  k  present. 

Pour  expedition  conforme, 

Le  President  du  Directoire  Executif,      Carnot. 

Par  le  Directoire  Executif, 

Le  Secretaire  General,  Lagarde. 


LETTER    FROM     LORD    MALMESBURY    TO    MR.    PITT. 

Lisle,  Thursday,  July  6th,  1797.     7  p.m. 

]\Iy  Dear  Sir, — The  few  days  I  have  passed  in  France 
have  been  so  entirely  devoted  to  etiquette  and  ceremonial, 
that  I  might  suppose  myself  at  Miinster  or  Nimeguen 
negotiating  with  the  most  formal  and  oldest  Sovereigns 
of  Europe,  instead  of  at  Lisle  with  the  ^linisters  of  a  new 

*  Le  Tourneur  had  recently  vacated  his  seat  at  the  Directory,  and  been 
replaced  by  Barthelemi. 

t  Admiral  Pleville  le  Peley  was  a  few  days  afterwards  appointed  Minister 
of  jNIarine. 

J  IVIarct  was  created  Due  de  Bassano  by  Napoleon,  and  Minister  for  Fo- 
reign Affairs,  1811.     He  died  in  1839,  aged  76. 

Hugues  Maret — jeune,  verse  de  bonne  heure  dans  le  monde  diplomatique  ; 
il  reunissait  a  beaiicouj)  d'esprit  des  formes  qui  ctoient  devenues  rarcs  en 
France,  depuis  la  Revolution.  Au  contraire  des  autres  qui  avoient  la  sau- 
vagerie  revolutionnairc,  etc. — (Thiers,  vol.  vi.) 

§  Colclicn  was  afterwards  a  Prefet  de  Dcpartenicnt,  and  Pair  de  France. 
He  died  in  1630,  aged  79. 


378  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [l797. 

Repulblic.  The  attending  to  these  matters  of  form  has  fur- 
nished, as  you  will  perceive,  very  few  materials  for  official 
correspondence,  and  none  for  a  private  letter.  I  must, 
however,  beg  leave  to  trouble  you  with  one,  merely  to 
express  to  you  how  much  I  felt  your  kindness  and  confi- 
dence on  my  leaving  England.  I  am  now  determined  not 
to  ask  myself  a  question  about  my  health  till  I  return. 

The  desire  of  M.  Le  Tourneur  to  delay  entering  upon 
business  till  to-morrow  looks  as  if  they  were  not  yet 
quite  ready,  which  I  think  may  be  considered  as  a  good 
omen.  As  to  their  manners  and  behaviour,  although  it  is 
widely  different  from  that  of  Ch.  Delacroix,  yet  it  would  be 
very  hazardous  to  draw  any  conclusion  whatever  from  it. 

I  fear  it  will  be  quite  impossible  to  sign  without  refer- 
ence. I  only  hope  that  one  reference  will  be  enough, 
and  that,  knowing  as  I  do  your  wishes  and  intentions, 
you  will  make  my  second  instructions  such  as  may  be 
deemed  final  :  in  order  to  facilitate  this,  I  shall,  before  I 
send  away  another  messenger,  endeavour  to  discover,  as 
far  as  possible,  the  real  intentions  of  the  French. 

I  have,  &c.  Malmesbury. 


LETTER  FROM  LORD  MALMESBURY  TO  LORD  GRENVILLE. 

Lisle,  Thursday,  July  6th,  1797.     8  p.m. 

My  Lord, — My  reception  upon  the  present  occasion 
having  much  exceeded  in  civility  what  I  experienced 
upon  my  former  Mission,  and  the  attentions  paid  to  me  at 
Calais,  upon  my  journey  here,  and  since  my  arrival,  having 
been  so  marked,  I  shall  not  trespass,  I  hope,  unnecessarily 
on  your  Lordship's  time,  if  I  make  this  the  subject  of  a 
separate  despatch. 

Immediately  upon  our  entering  Calais  harbour,  the 
Commandant  of  the  place,  the  President  of  the  ]\lunici- 
pality,  and  the  Commissary  of  the  Executive  Power,  came 
on  board  our  vessel,  and  conducted  us  to  the  inn ;  they 
offered  their  services  in  every  way  in  Avhich  they  could 
be  useful  to  us,  and  insisted,  as  a  mark  of  respect,  that  I 
should   have  two  sentinels  at  my  door.     I  left  Calais  a 


1797.]  LISLE.  379 

little  after  6,  and  about  half  a  mile  from  St.  Omers  we 
were  met  by  an  officer  and  eight  chasseurs,  who  escorted 
us  into  the  to"\vn  ;  some  cannon  were  fired  from  the 
ramparts  upon  our  entering  the  gates.  I  found  waiting 
at  the  post-house  the  Commandant  and  all  the  officers  of 
the  garrison.  I  got  out  of  my  carriage  to  thank  them  for 
their  attention,  and  continued  my  journey  for  the  dis- 
tance of  about  two  miles  under  the  escort  of  the  same 
detachment.  At  Armentieres,  the  last  post  before  Lisle, 
I  found  an  aide-de-camp,  sent  by  M.  Liebert,  General  of 
the  district,  who  delivered  to  me  a  letter.  We  were 
visited  upon  our  arrival  by  the  General,  accompanied  by 
the  Commandant  and  six  other  officers  ;  his  manners  were 
peculiarly  gentlemanlike  and  respectful,  and  he  also  de- 
sired that  I  would  have  sentinels  at  the  door.  This  ho- 
nour I  at  first  rather  declined,  but  when  he  informed  me 
that  sentinels  were  placed  at  the  hotel  of  the  French  Em- 
bassy, and  that  he  wished  the  two  Embassies  might  be, 
with  regard  to  such  points,  upon  an  exactly  equal  footing, 
I  made  no  further  hesitation  about  accepting  them.  Soon 
after  arrived  a  deputation  from  the  municipality,  who, 
after  expressing  their  earnest  wishes  for  success  in  set- 
tling a  peace,  told  me  they  had  prepared  la  liaison 
de  I'Intendance  for  our  Conferences.  I  immediately  sent 
Mr.  Ross,  my  private  secretary,  to  M.  Le  Tourneur,  to  in- 
form the  French  Legation  of  my  arrival,  and  to  desire  to 
know  at  what  hour  it  would  be  convenient  for  him  that 
I  should  make  my  first  visit  of  ceremony.  Mr.  Ross  was 
told  by  M.  Le  Tourneur  that  he  would  send  an  answer 
by  his  secretary.  Li  a  few  minutes  he  arrived  with  a 
message,  that  the  Legation  would  be  ready  at  any  hour  I 
should  appoint :  it  was  arranged  for  12  o'clock  on  the 
following  day.  At  the  appointed  hour,  accompanied  by 
the  persons  who  belong  to  my  Mission,  I  accordingly  made 
this  visit.  I  was  placed  on  the  right  hand  of  ]\I.  Le 
Tourneur,  and  it  was  then  agreed  that  we  should,  at  12 
this  day,  exchange  our  full  powers.  I  was  followed  home 
by  his  private  secretary,  who  desired  to  know  when  we 
should  be  ready  to  receive  the  French  Legation;  I  in- 
formed him  we  would  wait  at  home  till  they  arrived,  and 


380  DIARIES  AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [l797. 

they  came  almost  immediately.  I  observed  the  same 
etiquette  that  they  had  shewn  to  me,  and  placed  M.  Le 
Tourneur  on  my  right.  He  entered  the  room  with  a 
short  speech  which  began  by  "  La  Legation  Fran^aise  tou- 
jours  prete  a  rendre  ^gards  pour  ^gards,  &c/'  He  told  us 
that  they  had  waited  upon  the  municipality  at  the  Hotel 
de  Commune  ;  and  I  thought  it  right,  therefore,  to  pay  them 
the  same  compliment  in  return,  particularly  as  the  muni- 
cipality had  waited  on  me  on  my  arrival.  The  President 
received  us  with  a  speech  which  he  read,  and  of  which  I 
asked  a  copy,  which  I  enclose  to  your  Lordship. 

I  have  mentioned  thus  particularly  the  circumstances 
of  my  interview  with  the  French  Plenipotentiaries,  and 
the  general  tenor  of  their  expressions,  because  I  think 
it  proves  that  they  have  not  revolutionized  (as  M.  Dela- 
croix told  me  they  had  done)  diplomatic  forms  and  cere- 
monies, but  that,  on  the  contrary,  they  are  desirous  of 
adhering  to  them  with  the  strictest  punctuality  ;  and 
I  hope  it  will  not  be  considered  that  I  deviated  at  all 
from  my  rank,  in  announcing  my  arrival  to  the  French 
Plenipotentiaries ;  as  I  have  always  found  it  the  usual 
practice  in  every  Court  where  I  have  resided,  for  the 
Minister  who  arrives  the  last,  to  make  the  first  visit  to 
Ministers  of  the  same  rank  as  himself. 

The  country  through  which  we  passed  appeared  in  a 
good  state  of  cultivation,  and  the  inhabitants  crowded 
about  the  carriage  to  a  much  greater  degree  than  on  my 
way  from  Calais  to  Paris ;  but,  whether  this  arose  from 
the  novelty  of  a  suite  of  carriages  being  greater  in  this 
country,  whether  from  curiosity  being  more  the  charac- 
teristic of  the  Flemish,  or  Avhether  from  the  desire  of  peace 
being  much  stronger  in  the  people  of  France  than  it  was 
eight  months  ago,  I  cannot  pretend  to  decide  with  any 
certainty.  I  have,  &c.  ]\Ialmesbuky. 

The  Conferences  held  at  Lisle  between  me  and  tlic 
French  Plenipotentiaries,  Messrs.  Le  Tourneur,  Pleville, 
Maret,  with  M.  Colchen  as  Secretary,  were  held  in  tlie 
Maison  de  I'lntendance,  a  line  hotel  in  la  Ptue  Pvoyale. 

After  the  form  of  visits,  &c.,  our  first  Conference  was 


1797.]  LISLE.  381 

held  on  Thursday,  July  6,  at  noon.  — It  was  confined  to 
the  very  simple  and  short  ceremony  of  reading  and  ex- 
changing our  full  powers.  My  private  secretary,  ]\Ir. 
Ross,  brought  mine,  and  waited  in  the  room. 

We  adjourned  immediately  till  the  next  day. 

In  the  morning  of  Wednesday  I  sent  Brooks  to  England. 
He  had  his  passport  from  the  municipality  of  Lisle. 


The  second  Conference  was  held  at  noon,  Friday,  July 
7th,  1797.  I  began  by  saying  that  I  had  no  observa- 
tions to  make  on  the  full  powers  of  the  French  Plenipo- 
tentiar}^ — they  appeared  to  me  to  be  in  due  form  and 
sufficient ;  but  that  I  liad  transmitted  them  to  my  Court, 
and  reserved  to  myself  the  right  of  communicating  any 
observations  or  remarks  which  I  might  receive. 

M.  Le  Tourneur  repeated  precisely  the  same  words  as 
to  my  instructions,  and  reserved  to  himself  the  same 
right,  having  made  the  same  communication  of  them  to 
the  Directory,  as  I  had  made  to  my  Court. 

I  remarked  that,  although  the  Court  of  Portugal  was 
named  in  neither  of  our  full  powers,  yet  it-  was  to  be 
understood  that  it  was  to  be  comprised  in  the  Treaty  as 
Ally  of  His  Majesty,  in  the  same  manner  as  the  Court  of 
Spain  and  the  Batavian  Republic  were  to  be  comprised  as 
Allies  of  France.'" 

This  was  assented  to  without  hesitation.  I  observed  on 
these  words,  in  their  full  powers,  that  "  le  Gitoyen  Gol- 
chen  est  admis  mix  conferences  pour  prendre  note  de 
tout  ce  qui  sera  convenu  et  arrete"  that  I  could  have 
no  objection  to  make;  that  I  only  wished  it  to  be  clearly 
understood,  as  I  was  conversing  in  their  language,  and 

*  At  this  period  England  had  but  one  ally,  Portugal.  France,  Spain  and 
Holland,  continued  united  against  her.  At  sea  the  British  arms  were  still 
victorious.  The  expedition,  under  Hoche,  against  Ireland  had  failed,  and 
Sir  John  Jervis  had  gained  the  battle  of  St.  Vincent,  14th  February,  over  the 
Spanish  fleet,  greatly  superior  in  number  ;  but  the  Court  of  Vienna,  alamied 
by  tlie  approach  of  Buonaparte's  victorious  army,  had,  on  the  18tli  April, 
signed  the  preliminaries  of  Leoben,  by  which  Austria  abandoned  Lombardy 
and  the  Low  Countries. 


382  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [1797. 

not  my  own,  that  no  advantage  might  be  taken  of  this 
circumstance,  and  that  a  copy  might  be  given  me  of 
whatever  he  wrote  down.     This  was  of  course  agreed  to. 

M.  Le  Tourneur  then  began  the  business  by  saying, — 
"  Nous  nous  sommes  assembles  ici  pour  I'ouvrage  le  plus 
important  qui  peut-etre  a  jamais  existe.  II  sera  bien 
glorieux  pour  les  deux  Legations  de  I'amener  a  une 
heureuse  fin ;  et  comme  nous  y  porterons  autant  de  bonne 
foi,  de  zele,  et  de  franchise,  que  nous  ne  doutons  retrouver 
dans  vous.  Milord,  nous  avons  toute  raison  de  I'esperer." 

I  returned  to  this  a  suitable  answer,  and  went  on  by 
inquiring  in  what  manner  he  expected  the  business  to  be 
opened.  By  their  pressing  so  strongly  for  a  Definitive 
Treaty,  it  was  to  be  presumed  he  had  some  plan  read}^ 

lie  replied.  No  ;  that  they  were  prepared  to  expect 
proposals  from  us :  "but,"  continued  he,  "  without  delaying 
this  very  important  negotiation,  by  standing  out  on  this 
point  of  etiquette,  tell  us  at  once  and  fairly  on  what 
basis  you  wish  the  Treaty  to  rest ;  and  I  will  tell  you 
fairly  at  once,  that  any  proposals  you  may  make  not  in 
contradiction  to  our  constitution,  our  laws,  and  our  ex- 
isting treaties,  (which  were  the  expressions  when  the 
last  Negotiation  failed),  will  not  only  be  listened  to  cor- 
dially, but  every  facility  be  given  consistently  with  our 
honour  and  interests."  I  replied,  that  although  fi'om 
His  Majesty  having  a  great  deal  to  give,  and  nothing  to 
ask  for  back,  it  was  natural  to  expect  a  proposal  should 
originate  with  them  ;  yet,  as  he  spoke  so  openly  and 
cordially,  I  was  ready  to  collect  from  the  materials  in  my 
possession  what  would  make  a  sort  of  rough  projH,  and 
would  bring  it  with  me  to-morrow — that  he  must  be 
conscious  there  must  be  several  articles  left  in  blank, 
which  only  could  be  filled  up  after  our  conferences.  That 
I  also  begged  to  be  understood  that  as  they  set  out  from 
the  principle  that  nothing  should  be  proposed  in  contradic- 
tion to  their  constitution,  by  which  I  understood  him  to 
mean  the  integrity  of  the  French  Republic,  to  their  laws, 
and  to  their  treaties  (as  far  as  they  were  known  to  us — 
for  it  was  impossible  for  me  to  engage  any  compliance 
with  secret  articles  ;  and  to  this  last  point  they  all  nodded 


1797.]  LISLE.  383 

consent)  ;  so  I  on  my  part  had  to  stipulate  that  nothing 
shoukl  be  proposed  by  them  contrary  to  our  constitution 
(to  which  I  attached  the  same  sense,  viz.,  the  integrity  of 
the  British  empire,  our  laws,  and  our  treaties).  To  this 
he  seemingly,  though  not  decidedly,  assented,  appearing 
to  make  this  point  dependent  on  the  terms  of  the  Treaty. 
On  M.  Pleville's  observing,  that  the  glory  of  the  two 
nations  must  be  consulted,  as  well  as  their  interests,  and 
that  every  quarter  of  an  hour  lost  was  lengthening  the 
misfortunes  of  humanity,  I  joined  issue  with  him  entirely; 
and  added,  on  M.  Le  Tourneur's  repeating  nearly  the 
same  sentiment  with  a  handsome  compliment  to  England, 
that  the  strongest  proofs  that  this  was  my  Royal  ^Master's 
wish  would  appear  in  the  projH  I  should  prepare.  That 
all  the  Great  Powers  of  Europe  being  now  aggrandized, 
and  France  in  a  greater  proportion  than  any  of  them,  it 
was  but  reasonable  that  Great  Britain  also  should  be 
enabled  to  hold  her  rank  amongst  them ;  but  it  would 
appear  by  what  I  had  to  ask  (which  from  what  I  had 
heard  must  be  from  the  Allies  of  the  Republic,  not  from 
the  Republic  itself),  that  it  was  only  security  for  main- 
taining what  we  already  had,  and  not  additions  of  terri- 
tory, that  we  wished. 

M.  Le  Tourneur  by  his  looks  admitted  this  to  be  rea- 
sonable, but  said  nothing,  except  that  we  would  adjourn 
all  further  discussion  till  noon  of  the  next  day,  when  I 
undertook  to  be  ready  with  my  projH. 

Le  Tourneur  was  the  only  one  who  spoke,  and  I  only 
observed  that  he  frequently  looked  at  Maret,  as  if  fearful 
of  not  saying  all,  or  saying  too  much, 

Maret  said  nothing,  except  a  few  civil  phrases.  Pl^- 
ville  talked  oi'  I'humanite  souffrante;  and  all  these  re- 
peatedly and  strongly  expressed  their  orders  to  act  avec 
francluse,  loyaute,  et  cVy  mettre  toute  la  fac'iUte possible. 

The  diiference  of  their  language  from  that  of  Delacroix 
is  worthy  of  remark.  The  difference  of  their  manner 
might  arise  from  the  difference  of  their  tempers  and  cha- 
racters, but  the  difference  of  their  language,  it  must  be 
supposed,  can  only  be  attributed  to  a  difference  in  their 
instructions  from  the  Directory. 


384  DIARIES  AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [I797. 

At  the  third  Conference,  Saturday  noon,  July  8th, 
1797,  the  French  Legation  began  hy  explaining  about 
Colchen  :  that  he  was  simply  a  Secretary  ;  that  it  was  su- 
perfluous and  silly  to  have  said  in  the  arrete,  "  qu'il  y 
6toit  pour  prendre  des  notes  ;"  and  it  was  by  no  means 
extraordinary  I  should  be  surprised  at  it. 

I  l^egan  by  saying  that  the  interests  of  the  allies  of 
France  and  Great  Britain  were  to  be  treated  of  jointly 
with  their  own;  so  it  would  be  necessary,  to  obtain  our 
end,  that  their  respective  possessions  should  be  blended 
together,  and  in  the  Treaty  we  were  about  to  begin,  that 
they  should  be  all  unitedly  considered  as  the  price  to  he 
given  for  the  restoration  of  peace.  I  said  what  would  the 
most  facilitate  this,  would  be  the  cession  of  one  of  tlieir 
islands ;  but  as  they  declared  this  to  be  against  the  letter 
of  their  constitution,  and  that  now,  if  the  integral  parts 
of  the  French  Republic  were  not  to  be  meddled  Avith,  it 
was  necessary  that  a  compensation  for  His  Majesty  should 
be  found  in  cessions  from  one  or  both  of  the  allies  of  the 
Republic. 

I  then  gave  in  my  projtf,'''  which  M.  Le  Tourneur  read. 
He  began  by  objecting  to  the  renewal  of  treaties,  but 
Maret  stopped  him  by  saying  this  was  not  a  material 
point ;  Pleville,  however,  added,  that  as  ours  was  only 
une  paix  maritime,  it  was  useless  to  refer  to  treaties 
which  related  to  the  affairs  of  the  Continent.  I  observed, 
that  the  three  last  Treaties,  viz.  1748,  1763,  and  1783, 
were  all  referred  to  as  being  des  paix  maritimes.  We 
then  went  on  to  Art.  VI.,t  which  I  observed,  as  they  would 
not  consent,  though  I  again  urged  it,  to  give  up  any  of 
their  possessions,  must  probably  be  effaced,  and  consi- 
dered as  non  avenu.  When  we  came  to  Spain,  I  insisted 
on  Trinidad.  This  was  contested,  I  argued  the  necessity 
of  having  some  one  valuable  possession  in  the  West  In- 

*  This  projct  was  again  fouiKlcd  on  the  principle  of  mutual  restitutions  ; 
the  names  of  the  places  left  blank  for  future  discussion.  Two  points  vvere 
stated  in  it  as  indispensable,  viz.,  the  restoration  of  the  private  property 
to  the  Prince  of  Orange,  and  the  raising  the  sequestration  fines  and  disal'ili- 
tics  of  all  persons  suffering  such,  in  all  places  mutually  restored. 

t  In  which  a  blank  was  left  to  be  fillcl  up  with  the  places  excc})ted  from 
nmtual  restitution. 


1797.]  LISLE.  385 

dies,  to  balance  the  great  acquisition  made  by  France  by 
the  having  the  Spanish  part  of  St.  Domingo,  which  when 
cultivated,  would  be  invaluable.  I  should  have  said  be- 
fore, that  Le  Tourneur  sent  for  the  Constitution,  and 
read  to  me  the  annexed  departments.  I  took  from  my 
pockets  such  of  them  as  we  had  conquered.  He  said,  on 
my  coming  to  St.  Domingo,  that  they  had  received  news 
that  they  had  retaken  the  greater  part  of  it,  that  some- 
thing must  be  found,  and  I  mentioned  Port  Rico,  or  New 
Orleans,  Demerara,  Essequibo,  and  Berbice  :  of  this  Maret 
took  a  note. 

Trinidad  in  our  hands,  Pleville  said,  would  turn  to 
great  account,  so  would  New  Orleans ;  and  he  immediately 
saw  its  consequence  as  to  the  Americans.  On  the  de- 
mands from  us,  Pleville  observed  we  asked  all  of  the 
Dutch.  I  said,  No.  He  said  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope 
must  be  in  the  hands  of  an  inferior  power,  that  it  was 
of  importance  both  to  England  and  France.  The  isles  of 
France  and  Bourbon  were  supplied  from  thence.  They 
desired  me  to  send  in  a  note  to  fill  up  the  blanks,  and 
that  they  would  let  me  know  as  soon  as  they  had  deli- 
berated on  the  subject. 


At  the  fourth  Conference,  Alonday,  July  10th,  1  p.m. 
I  came  before  they  were  all  assembled,  and  walked  with 
Le  Tourneur  in  the  garden.  He  talked  about  Calonne, 
and  attributed  the  Revolution  to  him  in  particular,  and  in 
general  to  the  want  of  morality  in  the  people  of  an 
upper  class.  When  M.  Maret  came,  Le  Tourneur  began 
by  proposing  we  should  renounce  the  title  of  King  of 
France."'^  I  mentioned  the  usual  Article  employed  to  do 
away  any  right  belonging  to  it.  It  would  not  do.  They 
persisted  in  its  being  renounced. 

2nd  point. — The  restitution  of  the  ships  taken  or  de- 
stroyed at  Toulon.     This  I,  of  course,  combated. 


*  First  claimed  by  Edward  III.  in  right  of  female  descent,  and  assumed 
by  each  of  his  successors. 

VOL.  III.  2    C 


386  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [1797- 

3rd. — The  idea  of  our  having  a  mortgage  on  the  Low 
Countries. 

For  a  more  accurate  account  of  this  Conference,  see  the 
end  of  my  despatch  of  the  11th  July,  which  I  wrote  im- 
mediately on  coming  from  it. 


EXTRACT    OF    A    DESPATCH    FROM    LORD    MALMESBURY    TO 

LORD    GRENVILLE. 

Lisle,  11th  July,  1797. 

M.  Le  Tourneur  informed  me  on  the  subject  of  the 
projH  which  I  had  given  them,  and  the  IS^ote  with  which  I 
had  accompanied  it,  that  as  these  papers  contain  many 
points  on  which  their  instructions  did  not  enable  them  to 
answer,  they  had,  after  having  given  them  a  very  serious 
attention,  sent  them  with  such  observations  as  they  had 
thought  it  their  duty  to  make  on  them  to  the  Directory, 
and  that  the  moment  they  received  an  answer  they  would 
communicate  it  to  me.  But  that  in  the  mean  while,  not 
to  delay  the  progress  of  the  Negotiation,  they  wished  that 
several  points  which  he  termed  insulated,  but  which, 
though  not  referred  to  in  our  projH,  were,  he  said,  inse- 
parably connected  with  the  general  subject  of  peace, 
might  be  discussed  and  got  rid  of  now,  if  I  had  no  objec- 
tion ;  and  that  it  was  with  this  view  they  had  requested 
me  to  meet  them.  On  my  not  expressing  any  disappro- 
bation to  this  mode  of  proceeding,  M.  Le  Tourneur  began 
by  saying,  that  in  the  preamble  of  the  Treaty,  the  title  of 
King  of  France  was  used ;  that  this  title  they  contended 
could  no  longer  he  insisted  on ;  the  abolition  of  it  was  in 
a  manner  essential  to  the  full  acknowledgment  of  the 
French  Republic,  and  that  as  it  was  merely  titulary,  as 
far  as  related  to  His  Majesty,  but  quite  otherwise  in  the 
sense  in  which  it  applied  to  them,  he  hoped  it  would  not 
be  considered  as  an  important  concession. 

I  informed  him  that  on  all  former  occasions  a  separate 
Article  had  been  agreed  to,  which  appeared  to  me  to  an- 
swer every  purpose  they  required,  and  which  it  was  my 
intention  as  the  Treaty  advanced,  to  have  proposed  as 


1797.]  LISLE.  387 

proper  to  make  part  of  this.  The  Article  (the  first  of 
the  separate  ones  in  tlie  Treaty  of  1783)  was  then 
read  ;  but  they  objected  to  it  as  not  fully  meeting  their 
views.  It  was  to  the  title  itself,  as  well  as  to  any 
riglits  which  might  be  supposed  to  arise  from  it,  that  they 
objected. 

I  could  scarce  allow  myself  to  treat  this  mode  of  reason- 
ing seriously.  I  endeavoured  to  make  them  feel  that  it  was 
caviling  for  a  mere  word ;  that  it  was  creating  difficulties' 
where  none  have  existed  ;  and  that  if  all  the  French 
monarchs  in  the  course  of  three  centuries  had  allowed  this 
to  stand  in  the  preamble  of  all  treaties  and  transactions 
between  the  two  countries,  I  could  not  conceive,  after  its 
having  been  used  for  so  long  a  period  without  any  claim 
or  pretension  being  set  forth  in  consequence  of  it,  how  it 
could  now  affect  either  the  dignity,  security,  or  import- 
ance of  the  Republic;  that,  in  fact,  such  titles  have  ever 
been  considered  as  indefeasible,  and  as  memorials  and 
records  of  former  greatness,  and  not  as  pretensions  to  pre- 
sent power;  and  I  quoted  the  titles  of  the  kings  of  Sar- 
dinia, Naples,  &€.,  as  examples  exactly  in  point.  I 
argued,  however,  in  vain  ;  they  treated  it  verj^  gravely, 
and  made  so  strong  a  stand  upon  it,  that  I  could  not 
avoid  taking  it  for  reference,  which  I  thought  it  better  to 
do,  than,  feeling  as  I  did  at  the  moment,  to  push  the  con- 
versation further. 

The  second  insulated  point  was  a  very  material  one 
indeed,  and  which,  although  it  has  l^een  adverted  to  as 
a  proposal  that  might  possibly  be  brought  forward,  I 
confess  came  upon  me  unexpectedly.  It  was  to  ask 
either  a  restitution  of  the  ships  taken  and  destroyed  at 
Toulon,  or  an  equivalent  for  them.  They  grounded  this 
claim  on  the  preliminary  declaration  made  by  Lord  Hood, 
on  his  taking  possession  of  Toulon,'''"  and  on  the  Eighth 
Article  of  the  Declaration  of  the  Committee  of  the  Sections 
to  him.  They  said  peace,  they  hoped,  was  about  to  be  re- 

*  Lord  Hood,  on  receiving  the  French  ships  at  Toulon,  accepted  them  as 
a  trust  for  the  Government  which  we  then  acknowledged,  viz.,  the  Bourbons. 
The  French  now  claimed  them  as  national  property  as  soon  as  we  recog- 
nized the  new  order  of  things  in  France. 

2  c  2 


888  DIARIES   AND  CORRESPONDENCE.  [l797. 

established  ;  that  His  Majesty  in  acknowledging  the  Re- 
public, admitted  that  a  sovereignty  existed  in  the  French 
Government,  and  of  course  that  the  ships  held  only  as  a 
deposit  by  England  till  this  legal  authority  was  admitted, 
ought  now  to  be  restored.  I  replied  that  this  claim  was 
so  perfectly  unlooked  for,  that  it  was  impossible  for  me  to 
have  been  provided  for  it  in  my  instructions;  and  that  I 
could  therefore  only  convey  my  own  private  sentiments  on 
it,  which  were,  that  they  could  not  have  devised  a  step 
more  likely  to  defeat  the  great  end  of  our  IVIission.-  M. 
Maret  said  that  he  sincerely  hoped  not ;  that  without  a 
restitution  of  the  ships  an  equivalent  might  be  found  to 
effect  the  purpose  desired ;  and  since  their  great  object 
was,  that  something  should  appear  to  prove  that  this  just 
demand  had  not  been  overlooked  by  them,  and  was  not 
left  unsatisfied  by  us,  I  told  him  fairly  I  did  not  see 
where  this  equivalent  was  to  be  found,  or  how  it  could  be 
appreciated;  and  that,  considering  the  great  advantages 
France  had  already  obtained  by  the  war,  and  those  slie 
was  likely  to  obtain  from  the  act  of  condescension  I  had 
already  intimated  His  Majesty  was  disposed  to  make  in 
order  to  restore  peace,  I  was  much  surprised  and  deeply 
concerned  at  what  I  heard.  I  trusted,  therefore,  that  this 
very  inadmissible  proposal  would  be  withdrawn.  They 
said  it  was  not  in  their  power ;  and  M.  Le  Tourneur, 
from  a  written  paper  before  him,  which  he  said  was  his 
instructions,  read  to  me  words  to  the  effect  I  have  already 
stated. 

The  third  question  was,  as  to  any  mortgage  we  might 
have  upon  the  Low  Countries,  in  consequence  of  money 
lent  to  the  Emperor  by  Great  Britain.  They  wished  to 
know  if  any  such  existed,  since,  as  they  had  taken  the 
Low  Countries — charged  with  all  their  incumbrances, 
they  were  to  declare  that  they  should  not  consider  them- 
selves bound  to  answer  any  mortgage  given  for  money 
lent  to  the  Emperor  for  the  purpose  of  carrying  on  war 
against  them. 

I  told  them  that  witliout  replying  to  this  question, 
supposing  the  case  to  exist,  the  exception  they  required 
should  have  been   stated  in  their  Treaty  with  the  Em- 


1797.]  LISLE.  389 

peror,  and  could  not  at  all  be  mixed  up  in  ours ;  that  if 
they  had  taken  the  Low  Countries  as  they  stood,  charged 
with  all  their  incumbrances,  there  could  be  no  doubt 
what  these  words  meant ;  and  that  if  no  exception  was 
stated  in  the  first  instance,  none  could  be  made  with  a 
retro-active  effect. 

The  French  Plenipotentiaries,  however,  were  as  tena- 
cious on  this  point  as  on  the  other  two  ;  and  as  I  found 
to  every  argument  I  used  that  they  constantly  opposed 
their  instructions,  I  had  nothing  to  do  but  to  desire  they 
would  give  me  a  written  paper  stating  their  three  claims, 
in  order  that  I  might  immediately  transmit  it  to  your 
Lordship  ;  and  on  this  being  promised,  our  conference 
broke  up. 

Between  4  and  5  ?.m.  yesterday,  I  received  the  inclosed 
Note,'"'  and  I  have  lost  no  time  since  it  is  in  my  possession 
in  preparing  to  send  away  a  messenger  ;  as,  independent 
of  the  disagreeable  subjects  brought  forward  in  this  last 
Conference,  and  which  it  is  material  should  be  commu- 
nicated without  delay,  I  am  anxious  his  Majesty  should 
be  informed  of  what  has  passed  in  general  up  to  this  day, 
as  it  may  perhaps  furnish  some  idea  as  to  the  possible 
event  of  the  Negotiation. 


EXTRACTS   OF    A   DESPATCH   FROM   LORD    MALMESBURY    TO 

LORD   GRENVILLE. 

(Separate.)  Lisle,  11th  July,  1797. 

Notwithstanding  the  strong  declaration  of  the  French 
Plenipotentiaries,  that  the  three  points  set  forth  in  their 
Note  of  yesterday  formed  a  claim  which  they  were  strictly 
bound  by  their  instructions  to  insist  on,  and  that  they 
expressed  themselves  in  a  style  intended  to  convince  me 
that  no  modification  whatever  could  be  listened  to,  I 
cannot  bring  myself  to  believe  that  they  will  make  a 
determined  stand  upon  any  of  them,  or  sufier  the  Treaty 
to  break  off,  should  these  points  not  ultimately  be  coin- 

*  Stating  the  three  above-mentioned  demands  upon  England. 


390  DIARIES  AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [l797. 

plied  with.  I  conceive  them  brought  forward  rather  with 
a  view  to  become  negotiable  points,  as  we  proceed  in  the 
business,  and  to  be  employed  in  order  to  induce  us  to 
make  some  abatement  from  the  condition  stated  in  our 
projtt. 

If  I  am  mistaken,  and  that  the  French  government 
should  be  so  far  removed  from  reason  and  decency  as  not 
only  to  be  in  earnest  in  setting  forth  these  extravagant 
pretensions,  but  venture  also  to  reject  the  reasonable 
terms  his  Majesty  has  condescended  to  offer,  and  in  their 
stead  substitute  others  of  a  direct  opposite  nature,  it  will 
be  impossible  for  any  nation  of  Europe,  even  their  own, 
liot  to  see  through  and  reprobate  their  conduct.  But 
I  cannot  conceive  this  to  be  possible ;  for  with  the  eager 
disposition  for  peace  which  evidently  exists  in  this  coun- 
try, with  the  utter  impracticability  of  finding  means  to 
continue  the  war,  and  above  all,  with  the  temper  and 
complexion  of  the  two  Councils,  the  Directory  must  be 
wanting  in  the  first  principles  of  common  sense  and  pru- 
dence if  they  dared  to  reject  proposals,  the  basis  of  which 
went  to  leave  France  in  quiet  possession  of  neajiy  all  she 
had  conquered  in  Europe,  and  to  restore  to  her  all  she  has 
lost  in  her  colonies;  and  particularly  as  it  must  appear, 
when  stated  to  the  public,  that  these  conditions  were 
rejected  on  account  of  points  of  insignificant  form  and 
cavil  totally  unconnected  with  either  the  prosperity  or 
security  of  the  French  nation. 

I  am  so  strongly  impressed  with  this  idea,  that  I  by  no 
means  consider  these  wild  proposals  (unless  they  should 
be  followed  up  by  some  equally  so,  on  the  subjects  of  the 
restitution  and  reservation  or  cession  of  territories)  as 
indicating  a  less  favourable  issue  to  the  Negotiation  than 
was  expected  ;  and  it  is  certainly  l)etter,  let  the  event  be 
what  it  may,  that  they  should  be  encouraged  to  come 
forward  with  all  their  exorbitant  demands  in  the  outset 
of  the  business,  in  order  that  an  immediate  comparison 
may  be  made  between  their  conduct  and  the  moderation, 
equity  and  condescension  of  His  Majesty.  Such  a  contrast 
will  1)0  much  more  striking  in  the  first  instance  than 
it  would  be  at  a  later  period  of  the  negotiation,  when  it 


1797.]  LISLE.  391 

might  appear  to  be  provoked  by  previous  discussion  and 
altercation. 

I  certainly  had  it  in  my  power  to  combat  these  de- 
mands with  many  more  arguments  than  those  I  em- 
ployed; but  I  felt  that  the  ariaiing  too  strongly  on  them 
would  give  them  a  degree  of  credit  and  consequence  they 
ought  not  to  appear  to  have.  I  wished  also  that  the 
French  plenipotentiaries  should  suppose  that  it  was  impos- 
sible for  me  to  have  foreseen  that  proposals  of  this  nature 
could  have  been  made;  that  they  were  such  as  at  once 
ought  to  be  discarded,  and  not  such  as  were  to  be  defeated 
by  reasoning ;  and  that  the  strongest  proof  I  could  give  of 
a  disposition  to  continue  the  negotiation,  was  the  ventur- 
ing to  take  them  for  reference,  instead  of  declaring  them 
at  once  inadmissible. 


At  the  fifth  Conference,  July  13,  1797,  1  p.m.  Le  Tour- 
neur  said,  "Comme  vous  le  jugez  bien!"  that  there  was  not, 
neither  could  there  be,  any  answer  yet  from  the  Direc- 
tory as  to  iheprojet  itself;  but  they  wished  to  see  me,  in 
order  partly  not  to  let  too  long  an  interval  elapse  without 
seeing  me,  and  partly  to  speak  on  some  point  wliich 
might  be  settled  in  the  mean  while.  They  entered  objec- 
tions against  the  renewal  of  the  Treaties  we  had  enume- 
rated in  Art.  IL, '"'  not  to  the  Treaties  themselves  ;  but 
that  they  thought  it  would  be  better  to  draw  up  separate 
articles,  and  to  enumerate  everything  in  them  which 
related  to  the  two  countries,  and  which  might  contribute 
to  make  the  Treaty  of  Peace  we  were  negotiating  solid 
and  permanent,  and  remove  all  possibility  of  future  dis- 
putes, than  to  put  then  all  in  a  lump,  without  examining 
what  articles  in  the  Treaties  might  be  useless  or  excep- 
tionable. I  agreed  completely  with  him  as  to  the  principle, 
that  if  His  Majesty  wished  that  the  Treaty  we  now  were 
making  should  be  as  solid  and  as  permanent  as  possible, 
every  detail  which  human  foresight  could  advise,  should  be 

*  Of  Niineguen,  1678  and  1679:  of  Ryswick,  1697;  of  Utiecht,  1713; 
of  Baden,  1714  ;  of  the  Hague,  1717  ;  of  London,  1718  ;  of  Vienna,  1738  ; 
of  Aix  la  Chapelle,  1748  ;  of  Paris,  1763,  and  of  Versailles,  1783. 


392  DIARIES  AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [1797. 

removed  wliicli  could  produce  a  contrary  effect.  That  it 
was  with  this  view,  and  this  only,  that  the  Treaties  we 
had  stated  were  renewed  ;  that  they  would  observe  we 
had  selected  those  which  related  more  immediately  to  the 
separate  and  respective  interests  of  Great  Britain  and 
France,  and  omitted  all  others  that  did  not  relate  to  them. 
Le  Tourneur  agreed  with  this,  and  said  that  it  was  be- 
cause they  observed  this  that  they  came  forward  with 
their  present  proposal;  he,  however,  injudiciously  enough, 
talked  of  their  difficulty  in  renewing  them  because  mon- 
archy was  abolished  ;  that  it  was  an  avowal  of  Kings ; 
mentioned  the  Treaty  of  Pilnitz,  &c.  To  this  I  replied 
that  these  Treaties  were  become  acts  of  droit  puhlique,  it 
was  indifferent  under  what  form  of  government  they  were 
made,  or  by  whom  signed ;  that  none  of  them  bore  any 
reference  to  the  new  form  of  government  established  in 
France,  and  that  the  Treaty  of  Pilnitz  was  one  lue  had 
nothing  to  do  with. 

Maret  agreed  with  me,  and  rather  persifled  Le  Tour- 
neur for  his  remark.  After  a  short  conversation,  carried 
on  in  the  most  civil  and  even  conciliating  language  on 
their  side,  it  was  agreed  that  we  should  peruse  these 
Treaties  carefully,  and  select  from  them  such  articles  as 
applied  to  the  two  Countries,  and  endeavour  from  this  to 
draw  up  an  article  that  would  meet  the  end  both  of 
us  wished  to  obtain.  They  had,  they  assured  me,  em- 
ployed their  minds  on  this  subject,  and  they  wished  me 
to  employ  mine.  We  adjourned  till  the  15th  —  the  14th 
being  a  day  of  rejoicing  in  commemoration  of  the  destruc- 
tion of  the  Bastille. 

This  Conference  passed  off  much  more  cordially,  and 
with  a  greater  appearance  of  care  and  desire  to  please 
on  the  part  of  the  French  Plenipotentiaries  than  any  of 
the  preceding  ones ;  but,  whether  this  is  a  good  or  bad 
omen,  I  cannot  say.  It  appears  evident  that  they  wish  to 
gain  time ;  and  on  my  mentioning  to  them  how  important 
it  was  not  to  get  into  subjects  qui  pourroient  entrainei^ 
des  longueurs,  they  agreed  with  me ;  but  at  the  same  time 
said,  that  if  these  longer  discussions  tend  to  settle  any 
doubtful  points,  and  prevent  quarrels  in  future,  they  were 


1797.]  LISLE.  393 

well  worth  going  into.  I  agreed  with  them,  observing 
onlj,  that  I  was  sure  it  was  the  wish  of  both  Legations, 
that  neither  of  the  Governments  should  reproach  either 
of  them  with  unnecessary  delays. 

Pleville  did  not  say  a  word ;  his  eyes  were  shut  almost 
the  whole  time.  Le  Tourneur  spoke  very  little  to  the 
purpose,  Maret  very  well,  and  very  much  like  a  gentle- 
man. Colchen  had  no  call  to  speak,  but  looked  consent 
to  all  that  was  said. 


MR.    CANNING    TO    THE    FAMILY   OF    THE    REV.    MR.    LEGH.'^^' 

Downing  Street,  July  12th,  1797. 

No  messenger  yet  from  Lisle.  It  is  an  interval  of 
anxiety  and  impatience,  such  as  makes  it  impossible  to 
think,  speak,  or  write,  upon  any  other  subject.  I  get  up, 
go  to  bed,  eat,  drink,  sleep,  walk,  ride,  with  nothing  but 
the  messenger  in  my  head,  and  I  hear  nothing  all  day 
long,  but.  Well,  not  come  yet  ?  When  will  this  mes- 
senger come,  and  what  will  he  bring  1 — Peace  1 


EXTRACTS  OF  A  DESPATCH  FROM  LORD  GRENVILLE.  TO 
LORD  MALMESBURY. 

Downing  Street,  13th  July,  1797. 

I  HAVE  the  King's  commands  to  express  to  your  Lord- 
ship His  Majesty's  entire  approbation  of  the  zeal  and 
ability  which  you  have  hitherto  shown  in  the  execution  of 
the  important  commission  entrusted  to  you. 

With  respect  to  the  demands  contained  in  the  note 
transmitted  to  your  Lordship  by  the  French  Ministers, 
they  have  naturally  been  received  here  with  great  surprise. 

On  the  subject  of  the  Netherlands  as  connected  with 
the  Austrian  Loans,  it  is  conceived  that  any  explanation 
between   His   Majesty   and    the  French   Government   is 


*  Mr.  Legh  was  uncle  to  Mr.  Canning,  and  resided  at  Ashbourne,  in 
Derbyshire. 


394  DIARIES  AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [1797. 

wholly  unnecessary.  The  loans  raised  in  England  for  the 
service  of  the  Emperor  of  Germany,  and  guaranteed  by 
Act  of  Parliament  here,  rest,  as  your  Lordship  will  per- 
ceive, by  the  annexed  copy  of  the  Convention  on  that 
subject,  upon  the  security  of  all  the  revenues  of  all  the 
hg:"editary  dominions  of  His  Imperial  Majesty.  They  do 
not  seem,  in  any  manner,  to  come  under  the  description 
contained  in  the  Sixth  Article  of  the  Preliminaries  between 
Austria  and  France,  respecting  mortgages  upon  the  soil  of 
the  Netherlands,  on  which  ground  alone  France  could 
have  any  pretence  to  interfere  in  the  business ;  nor  is  the 
subject  one  which  appears  to  be  in  any  manner  a  fit  point 
of  discussion  between  His  Majesty  and  the  Piepublic. 
The  King  neither  forms,  nor  has  any  intention  of  forming, 
any  demand  on  the  French  Government  for  the  payment 
of  any  part,  either  of  the  interest  or  capital  of  those  loans. 
It  is  to  the  Emperor  alone  that  His  Majesty  looks  for 
the  performance  of  His  Imperial  Majesty's  engagements  to 
him ;  and  it  is  upon  the  Austrian  Government,  and  upon 
its  revenues,  that  individuals  concerned  in  those  loans 
have  claims  of  private  right,  and  means  of  personal 
demand  secured  to  them  by  the  Convention. 

On  the  other  two  points  I  have  nothing  to  add  to  the 
observations  which  your  Lordship  has  already  made  upon 
them  ;  and  we  can,  therefore,  only  wait  with  impatience 
for  the  answer  to  the  projet  delivered  by  your  Lordship, 
which  will  enable  us  to  form  a  judgment  on  the  intentions 
of  the  Government  with  whom  you  are  treating. 

I  have  only  further  to  remark  that  the  French  Ministers 
were  either  themselves  grossly  deceived  on  the  subject  of 
St.  Domingo,  or  desirous  of  misleading  your  Lordship. 
The  enclosed  statement,  on  the  authority  of  which  you 
may  entirely  rely,  will  prove  to  your  Lordship  that,  so 
far  from  the  French  having  regained  possession  of  the 
whole  of  that  Island,  they  have  been  repulsed  with  con- 
siderable loss  in  the  only  important  attempt  which  they 
have  lately  made  on  any  of  the  posts  occupied  by  His 
Majesty's  forces.'"' 

*  Tlic  inclosurc  coiiUiincd  uii  official  account,  tliat  in  tlicir  attack  on  Fort 
Trois   in   St.  Domingo,  tln'   Ficncli   liad  been  (Ideated,  witli   tlie  los.s  of  a 


1797.]  LISLE.  895 


LETTER    FROil    LORD   GRENVILLE   TO   LORD   MALMESBURY. 

Cleveland  Row,  July  13th,  1797. 

My  DEAR  Lord, — I  was  the  more  anxious  to  use  expe- 
dition in  sending  the  present  despatches,  in  order  that 
you  might  have  a  messenger  with  you,  so  as  to  enable 
you  as  fast  as  possible  to  feed  our  anxious  expectations. 
I  do  not  think  much  conclusion  can  be  drawn  from  what 
has  already  passed,  though  the  three  demands  made  by 
France  are  more  unreasonable  and  unconciliating  than 
was  generally  expected  here. 

The  negotiations  between  France  and  the  Emperor 
were  at  a  stand,  and  the  latter  appears  by  the  last  letters 
from  Vienna  to  have  insisted  on  the  concluding  his  De- 
finitive Treaty  only  at  a  Congress.  How  far  the  know- 
ledge of  your  Mission,  and  of  the  avowed  object  of  it  may 
change  this  determination,  I  cannot  say  ;  but  if  the  Court 
of  Vienna  suffers  from  this  separation  of  interest  and  con- 
duct, it  has  only  itself  to  thank  for  it.  Some  good  may, 
perhaps,  result  to  our  Negotiation  from  any  rub  which 
that  Negotiation  experiences ;  but  in  the  end  Austria, 
unsupported  by  England,  must  acquiesce  in  almost  any 
terms  that  France  will  give  her. 

Buonaparte  seems  to  be  settling  Italy,  (if  a  total  sub- 
version of  a  country  can  be  called  settling  it,)  without 
reference  either  to  the  Directory  or  their  Treaties. 

Yours,  &c.  Grexville. 


LETTER    FROM    MR.    PITT    TO    LORD    MALMESBURY. 

Downing  Street,  Tliursday  Evennig,  July  13tli,  1797. 

My  DEAR  Lord, — Having  been  kept  in  the  House  of 
Commons  almost  from  the  time  our  Cabinet  broke  up 
to-day,  I  can  hardly  do  more  than  thank  you  for  your 
letter,  and  say  to  you  very  shortly  with  how  much  satis- 

thousand  men,  by  General  Simcoe.     Colonel  the  Hon.  Thoraaf?  Maitland 
appears  to  have  deservedly  had  the  honour  of  this  victory. 


396  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [1797. 

faction  I  have  seen  the  account  of  all  the  steps  you  have 
taken  in  the  Negotiation  as  far  as  it  has  yet  advanced. 

Till  we  receive  a  contre-projH,  or  the  result  (whatever 
it  may  be)   of  your  Conferences  after  the  answer  from 
Paris,  I  know  not  how  to  form  anything  like  a  conjecture 
on  the  probable  issue  of  the  business ;   and  you  will  per- 
ceive, by  the  despatch  sent  now,  that  we  think  it  best  to 
avoid  giving  any  instructions  on  the  three  separate  points 
urged  by  the  French  Plenipotentiaries,  (except  the  expla- 
nation respecting  the  supposed  mortgage  of  the  Nether- 
lands,) till  we  know  what  they  propose  or  consent  to  on 
the  principal  points  in  question,     I  own  I  am  not  without 
some  hope  that  in  one  way  or  other  difficulties  on  these 
separate  points  will  not  long  retard  the  Negotiation,  if  in 
other  respects  an  agreement  is  practicable.     In  the  mean 
time  the  great  object  seems  to  be,  not  to  encourage  in 
them  any  idea  of  our  relaxing,  at  the  same  time  taking 
care  not  to  give  them  any  opportunity  (which,  however,  I 
do  not  think  they  would  at  present  be  desirous  of  seek- 
ing) of  prematurely  breaking  off  on  any  ground,  before  we 
are  in  possession  of  the  whole  extent  and  nature  of  their 
views.  Believe  me,  &c.  W.  Pitt. 


LETTER    FROM    MR.    CANNING   TO    MR.    ELLIS."" 

Downing  Street,  13th  July,  1797,  or  rather,  14th,  2  a.m. 

My  dear  George, — As  usual  I  have  kept  you  for  the 
last,  meaning  to  write  you  a  very  long  letter,  and  to  say 
to  you  whatever  I  had  left  unsaid  to  other  people,  and  to 
say  over  again  to  you  whatever  I  had  said  to  them  ;  and 
now  I  am  so  tired  and  exhausted  that  it  is  a  wonder  to 
me  how  much  of  these  fine  purposes  I  shall  execute. 

I  must  tell  you,  because  I  liavc  yet  told  nobody,  not 
even  "  the  Lionf "  himself,  how  much  his  despatch  of  yes- 


*  Mr.  Ellis  continued  to  l)e  attiiclied  to  Lord  Malmcsbury's  embassy. 

+  "  The  Ijion"  was  a  nitknunio  by  whieli  his  intimate  IViends  ealled  Lord 
Maliiiesl)uiy,  siiiee  some  foreign  uews]iaper  liad  d('scril)ed  him  as  lesenibling 
"  un  lion  blanc,"  from  his  fine  eyes  and  his  profusion  of  white  hair. 


1797.]  LISLE.  897 

terday  is  admired  and  approved,  as  well  as  the  conduct 
wliich  it  describes.  Nothing  could  be  more  able  and 
judicious  ;  the  three  points  in  Monday's  Conference  would 
have  staggered  the  most  practised  combatant.  But  "  the 
Lion"  seems  to  have  received  them  all  without  flinching, 
and  to  have  put  them  by  as  quietly  as  you  see  they  have 
been  put  by  in  the  despatch  to-day,  where  there  is  not  a 
word  said  about  them. 

With  regard  to  the  title  of  King  of  France,  I  am  inclined 
to  agree  with  you,  that  if  it  is  to  be  reasoned  upon  seri- 
ously, we  shall  be  beaten  in  the  argument,  and  had  best 
look  out  for  the  most  fanciful  and  innocent  mode  of  renun- 
ciation. The  chance  in  our  favour  is,  I  think,  that  this 
frivolous  question  may  ultimately  be  overwhelmed  in  the 
greater  considerations  arising  out  of  the  projH,  and  the 
commentary  upon  it, — and  that  if  a  Treaty  is  agreed 
upon,  or  nearly  so,  within  a  short  space  of  time,  you  may 
in  the  ardour  of  consummation  overleap  all  matters  of 
form,  and  then  tack  on  your  old  apologetical  article  at 
the  end  without  much  notice  being  taken.  After  all,  it 
is  a  grating  thing — God  knows,  I  feel  it  so — and  which 
of  us,  that  is,  of  the  "  Lion,"  you  and  me,— we  might 
add  AVindham,  but  he  is  beyond  us,  —  we  might  add 
Jenksburg,"""  I  believe,  and  all  told  —  which  of  us  is 
there  that  does  not  feel  it  grating,  to  have  to  con- 
trive modes  of  concession,  instead  of  enforcing  the  jus- 
tice of  demands  %  And  were  I  writing  to  you  on  the 
13th  of  last  December  instead  of  the  present  13th  of 
July,  could  I  have  thought  with  patience  of  renun- 
ciation and  restitution,  unaccompanied  by  cessions  to 
balance  and  compensate  them  ?  But  we  cannot  and 
must  not  disguise  our  situation  from  ourselves.  If  peace 
is  to  be  had,  we  must  have  it ;  I  firmly  believe  we  must, 
and  it  is  a  belief  that  strengthens  every  day.  When 
Windham  says  we  must  not,  I  ask  him,  "can  we  have 
war?"  It  is  out  of  the  question,  we  have  not  the  means 
— we  have  not,  what  is  of  all  means  the  most  essential, 
the  mmd.  If  we  are  not  at  peace,  we  shall  be  at  nothing. 

•  A   nickname   for  Jenkinson,  afterwards   Lord   Liverpool,   and   prime 
minister. 


398  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [1797. 

It  will  be  a  7ixa  between  us  and  our  enemy  oi pulsation 
on  tlieir  side,  and  vapulcdion  on  ours.  For  mj  part,  I 
adjourn  my  objects  of  honour  and  happiness  for  this 
country  beyond  the  grave  of  our  military  and  political 
consequence,  which  you  are  now  digging  at  Lisle.  I 
believe  in  our  resurrection,  and  find  my  only  comfort 
in  it. 

But  though  I  preach  peace  thus  violently,  do  not  ima- 
gine that  I  am  ready  to  take  any  that  you  may  offer.  I 
think  it  clear,  from  the  conferences  that  have  yet  passed, 
and  from  so  much  of  the  instructions  of  the  French  Pleni- 
potentiaries as  has  yet  been  made  known  to  you,  that 
there  is  no  objection  on  their  part  to  our  stripping  their 
Allies,  provided  we  do  it  with  decency  and  moderation, 
and  one  of  the  characteristics  is,  that  so  as  they  get 
something  they  care  not  much  from  Avhom.  Give  us 
then  something  to  show  as  an  acquisition  —  but  remem- 
ber (this  is  all  that  I  intended  by  my  shabby  declama- 
tion two  pages  ago),  that  what  may  be  very  splendid 
as  an  acquisition,  would  be  very  insufficient  as  a  cause  of 
quarrel.  We  can  break  off  upon  nothing  but  what  will 
rouse  us  from  sleep  and  stupidity  into  a  new  life  and 
action,  what  "will  create  a  soul  under  the  ribs  of  death  !" 
— ^for  we  are  now  soul-less  and  spiritless ;  and  what  would 
do  this,  except  the  defence  of  Portugal  (I  believe  that 
would)  or  the  preservation  of  our  integrity  (our  enfire- 
ness,  I  would  say),  I  know  not.  All  beyond  this  we  shall 
like  to  have,  but  we  never  shall  fight  for  it.  I  am  per- 
suaded, however,  that  we  may  yet  have  a  good  deal  with- 
out fighting. 

I  ought  now  to  tell  you  something  of  what  has  been 
passing  here  since  you  left  us.  There  is  but  one  event, 
but  tliat  is  an  event  for  the  world, — Burke  is  dead ! '"" 
How  and  when  the  newspapers  will  tell  you.  I  know 
the  details  only  from  them.  Mrs.  Crewe,  who  was  at 
Beaconsfield  at  the  time,  wrote  only  to  say  that  she 
could  not  write  to  me ;  for  he  had  among  all  his  great 
qualities,   that   for  which  the  world   did   not  give   him 

•  Burko  (lied  .Tulv  Stli,  aged  (58. 


1797.]  LISLE.  399 

suiBcient  credit,  of  creating  in  those  about  him  very 
strong  attachments  and  affection,  as  well  as  the  un- 
bounded admiration  which  I  every  day  am  more  and 
more  convinced  was  his  due.  It  is  of  a  piece  with  the 
peddling  sense  of  these  days,  that  it  should  be  deter- 
mined to  be  imprudent  for  the  House  of  Commons  to 
vote  him  a  monument.  He  is  the  man  that  Avill  mark 
this  age,  marked  as  it  is  in  itself,  by  events,  to  all  time. 

But  it  grows  very  late,  and  I  very  tired — my  hand,  at 
least,  though  I  have  yet  much  to  say,  having  in  truth 
said  nothing.  Now  for  a  very  few  questions,  and  I  have 
done. 

How  is  "  the  Lion's  "  health  I 

What  is  your  private  life  and  conversation  at  Lisle  1 — 
for  I  have  heard  nothing  of  it  from  nobody. 

Why  does  not  Morpeth  write  as  well  as  the  rest  of  you 
in  the  despatches  ?  Is  he  idle  1 — or  is  "  the  Lion"  deli- 
cate ■? — or  is  it  chance  1 — or  does  he  do  something  else 
for  you  that  does  not  appear  I 

And  now  good  night,  dear  George,  and  God  bless  you. 

Ever  yours,  G.  C. 


LETTER   FROM    LORD    MALMESBURY    TO    MR.    PITT. 

Lisle,  Sunday,  5  p.m.,  July  16th,  1797. 

My  DEAR  Sir, — It  is  very  satisfactory  to  hear  that  my 
conduct  hitherto  has  been  approved,  and  still  more  satis- 
factory to  learn  it  in  so  kind  a  manner  from  you.  I  am 
induced  to  hope  from  your  letter  that  you  will  equally 
approve  the  steps  I  have  taken  since,  and  not  think  I 
acted  injudiciously  in  wishing  to  come  to  some  explana- 
tion with  my  French  opponents  before  I  transmitted  offi- 
cially the  Note  they  sent  me  yesterday.  It  is  calculated 
more  to  perplex  than  to  surprise  us,  since  it  was  all  along 
to  be  supposed  that  the  French  would  begin  the  negotia- 
tion in  a  tone  of  high  demand  and  arrogance.  I  own, 
liowever,  I  draw  rather  a  favourable  conclusion  from  our 
conference  of  this  morning ;  besides  doing  away  a  great 
deal  of  the  obnoxious  part  of  the  Note,  it  was  carried  on 


400  DIARIES  AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [l797. 

with  an  uncommon  degree  of  good  temper  and  patience 
on  the  part  of  the  French  Legation,  considering  the  plain 
and  strong  language  I  thought  it  my  duty  to  employ. 

If  the  Directory  mean  peace  at  all,  the  step  they  have 
now  taken  is  only  a  parade  of  their  intentions  to  fulfil 
scrupulously  their  engagements  with  their  Allies  ;  and 
from  this  they  will  recede  to  a  certain  degree,  as  the 
Negotiation  goes  on.    On  the  other  hand,  if  the  Directory 
intend  to  continue  the  war  on  system,  they  will  not  only 
insist  on  this  declaration  to  its  full  extent,  but  even  bring 
forward  conditions  still  more  inadmissible.     I  really  have 
no  safe  data  to  enable  me  to  form  an  opinion  which  of 
the  two  cases  is  the  most  likely  ;  the  Councils,  indeed, 
seem  to  be  gaining  strength,  and  it  ought  to  be  inferred 
from  hence  that  the  Directory  is  losing  it ;  that  peace, 
therefore,  would  be  the  result  of  my  Mission  ;    but  I 
know  by  experience  this  not  to  be  safe  ground  to  argue 
upon,  and  either  my  conjectures  may  be  erroneous,  or 
my  conclusions  false.      Fortunately  we  are  already  in 
possession  of  many  valuable  official  testimonies  of  the 
exorbitancy  of  their  demands,  and  probably  we  shall  ob- 
tain still  stronger  ones,  if  the  Negotiation  is  to  break  ofi*. 
It  was  very  evident  that  when  Le  Tourneur  mentioned 
this  morning,  that  some  new  mode  of  compensation  might 
be  proposed  equally  advantageous  to  our  interests  with 
that  I  brought  forward,  he  alluded  to  Gibraltar,  and  that 
Spain  would  give  some  one,  or  perhaps  more  than  one,  of 
her  valuable  possessions  in  the  West  Indies  in  exchange 
for  it.     I  do  not  recollect  even  hearing  your  feelings  on 
this  particular  point.  As  to  the  general  turn  of  the  Treaty, 
I  am  inclined  to  think  (witliout,  however,  anything  like 
strong  ground  for  my  opinion),  that  if  it  proceeds  in  the 
way  in  which  it  is  begnin,  that  we  shall  be  able  to  retain 
one  of  the  two  great  Dutch  establishments,  and  this  will 
probably  be  Ceylon.'"' 

I  have  in  a  letter  to  Canning,  put  down  very  hastily, 
and  very  incorrectly,  some  ideas  as  to  the  title  of  King  of 

•  It  will  appear  in  a  subsequent  Diary,  that  Mr.  Pitt  had  given  Lord 
Malmesbury  jjrivate  instructions  to  surrender  Ceylon  to  the  French,  raiher 
than  break  oif  the  negotiation,  so  anxious  was  he  for  peace. 


1797.]  LISLE.  401 

France ;  and  on  the  renewal  of  Treaties,  they  will  here 
be  more  tenacious  on  these  two  points  than  thej  deserve. 
In  regard  to  the  last,  I  really  do  not  see,  after  having 
very  carefully  and  attentively  perused  all  the  Treaties 
stated  in  the  second  article,  why  it  is  important  to  renew 
any  of  them  but  that  of  1763,  and  that  of  1783. 

I  am,  &c.  Malmesbury. 


DESPATCH    FROM    LORD    MALMESBURY    TO    LORD    GRENVILLE. 

Lisle,  16th  July,  1797. 

My  Lord, — Yesterday,  at  the  moment  I  was  preparing 
to  attend  the  Conference,  in  which  we  were  to  enter  into 
fuller  discussions  on  the  litigated  subject  of  the  renewal 
of  the  Treaties  mentioned  in  the  second  article  of  thep7v- 
jet,  I  received  from  the  French  Legation  the  enclosed 
papers.  In  about  an  hour  I  returned  the  enclosed  answer 
(B),  to  which  I  received  the  enclosed  reply  (C),  and  am 
this  moment  come  from  the  conference  which  has  taken 
place  in  consequence  of  it. 

Before  I  attempt  to  give  your  Lordship  an  account  of 
what  passed  in  it,  I  must  express  my  hope  that  I  have 
not  judged  improperly,  or  acted  in  contradiction  to  the 
spirit  of  my  instructions  by  the  step  I  have  taken.     To 
have  communicated  such  a  paper  as  this  to  my  Court, 
crudely  and  without  any  attempt  to  come  to  an  explana- 
tion on  its  contents,  would  have  left  scarce  a  choice  as  to 
the  measures  to  be  adopted  in  consequence  of  it.     And  if 
I  had  taken  upon  myself  to  answer  it  petulantly  and  in- 
temperately,  it  must  have  produced  nearly  the  same  effect 
on  the  Directory  ;  and  I  felt  it  my  duty  to  avoid  both  the 
one  and  the  other,  as  long  as  it  could  be  done  without 
committing  the  dignity  and  interest  of  my  Royal  Master. 
The  event  will  also,  I  hope,  justify  what  I  have  done. 
On  meeting  the  French  Plenipotentiaries,  I  began  by 
saying,  that  I  had  solicited  this  interview  from  the  same 
motive  which  would  actuate  every  part  of  my  conduct  ; 
that  I  wished  to  make  my  reports  not  only  correct,  but 
conciliatory  as  far  as  depended  on  me  ;  and  I  now  was 

VOL.  III.  2    d 


402  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [1797- 

come,  in  order,  if  possible,  to  obtain  from  them  such  com- 
ments and  explanations  on  the  Note  they  sent  to  me  yes- 
terday, as  would  enable  me,  when  I  transmitted  it  to  my 
Court,  to  secure  the  Negotiation  from  being  interrupted, 
perhaps  abruptly  terminated,  by  the  perusal  of  it.  If  I 
understood  it  right,  it  meant  that  the  Directory  requires, 
as  a  sine-qud-non  preliminary,  that  everything  the  King 
had  conquered  from  all  and  each  of  his  enemies  should  he 
restored ;  and  that,  till  this  restoration  was  consented  to, 
the  Negotiation  was  not  even  to  begin. 

M.  Le  Tourneur  was  going  to  interrupt  me,  but  I 
begged  he  would  hear  me  a  little  further.  I  said,  if  I 
was  correct  in  this  statement,  and  the  plain  sense  of  the 
declaration  would  bear  no  other  interpretation,  I  must 
add  that  it  would  not  only  most  certainly  prevent  the 
Treaty  from  beginning,  but  would  leave  no  room  for 
treating  at  all,  since  it  deprived  his  Majesty  of  every 
means  of  negotiation  ;  for  I  could  not  suppose  that  it  was 
in  their  thoughts  to  intimate  that  the  principle  of  the 
Treaty,  as  far  as  it  related  to  His  Majesty,  was  to  be  one 
of  all  cession  and  no  compensation,  and  yet  that  it  was 
precisely  the  position  in  which  His  Majesty  was  j^laced  by 
their  Note. 

M.  Le  Tourneur,  who  had  let  me  proceed  rather  reluc- 
tantly, here  stopped  me,  and  said,  that  he  and  his  col- 
leagues were  exceedingly  happy  that  I  had  expressed  a 
wish  to  see  them  before  I  despatched  my  messenger  ; 
that  they  wished  to  assure  me  tliat  they  had  thought  it 
dealing  fairly  and  honestly  to  state  what  they  had  re- 
ceived from  the  Directory  in  the  very  words  in  which  it 
came  to  them  ;  that  they  felt  it,  however,  necessary  to 
"  explain  "  what  must  appear  to  me  as  a  contradiction  in 
their  behaviour,  viz.  :  their  receiving  the  projH  when  its 
terms  were  in  opposition  to  the  secret  articles  of  their 
alliances.  They  assured  me  they  were  perfectly  ignorant 
of  these  secret  articles,  and  had  they  known  them,  they 
would,  in  the  first  instance,  have  informed  me  of  the  dif- 
ficulty which  stood  in  the  way  of  the  dismissal  of  the  con- 
ditions proposed  ;  and  he  begged  I  would  acquit  tliem  of 
any  intention  to  mislead  me  on  this  point. 


1797.]  LISLE.  403 

I  received  this  explanation  with  civility,  and  only  ob- 
served that  they  must  recollect  I  had  expressly  stated,  when 
they  mentioned  their  constitution,  laws,  and  treaties,  that  I 
only  understood  it  to  mean  treaties,  the  articles  of  which 
were  public,  and  by  no  means  secret  ones  ;  and  that  when 
I  said  this,  I  was  perfectly  aware  that  no  stipulations, 
such  as  I  now  heard  of  for  the  first  time,   existed  as 
avowed  and  public  articles  in  their  treaties  of  alliance 
either  with  Spain  or  the  Dutch.     I  hinted  that  as  M.  Le 
Tourneur  was  a  member  of  the  Directory  at  the  time 
these  treaties  were  made,  it  was  to  be  supposed  he  could 
not  have  been  unacquainted  with  these  secret  articles  ;  but 
that  I  presumed  he  considered  them  as  State  secrets,  and 
did  not  think  himself  at  liberty  to  communicate  them 
officially  to   his  colleagues,  or  to  act  upon  them  in  his 
character   of  Plenipotentiary  without  the   leave  of  the 
Directory.     To  this  he  assented,  and  proceeded  by  saying 
that  they  should  be  sorry  if  the  declaration  they  had 
been  directed  to  make  me  should  be  of  a  nature  to  inter- 
rupt, much  less  to  break  off  the  Negotiation  :  that  it  was 
the  sincere  wish  of  the  Directory,  the  Negotiation  should 
proceed  and  end  successfully  ;  and  that,  far  from  shutting 
the  door  to  further  discussions,  they  were  perfectly  ready 
to  hear  any  proposals  we  had  to  make,  and  only  wished 
that  these  proposals  should  be,  if  possible,  such  as  were 
compatible  with  their  most  sacred  engagements.     I  re- 
peated what  I  had  said,  that  no  door  was  left  open,  if 
His  Majesty  was,  in  limine,  to  restore  everything;  and 
that  a  peace,  on  these  conditions,  would  not  be  heard  of 
by  my  country. 

M.  Le  Tourneur  then  entered,  but  with  great  propriety 
and  in  very  becoming  language,  on  the  history  of  the  war, 
its  cause,  its  progress,  and  its  object.  Your  Lordship  will 
naturally  suppose  that  he  stated  all  this  in  a  way  very 
different  from  that  in  which  it  would  have  been  stated 
by  me.  The  conclusion  he  drew  from  it  was,  that 
France,  even  aggrandised  as  it  was  by  its  various  acquisi- 
tions, was,  at  the  end  of  it,  not  so  great  a  Power  as  Eng- 
land would  be,  if,  in  addition  to  what  His  Majesty  now 
possessed,  the  places  we  required  by  our  jwojet  were  to 

2  D  2 


404  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [1707. 

remain  to  us.     "  But,"  added  he,  "  though  we  think  that 
in  arguing   on  your  own  grounds,  viz.,  the  balance  of 
power,"  (and  he  referred  here  to  what  I  said  in  our  first 
conference,)  "  we  should  at  least  keep  pace  with  you  :  yet 
we  will  tell  you  here  confidentially,  we  do  not  mean  to 
lose  sight  of  all  compensation  for  the  King,  your  Master  ; 
we  only  wish  it  to  be  sought  for  in  points  Sfferent  from 
those  you  mention."    I  said  I  saw  none  such  existing  ; 
that  if  they  had  any  to  propose,  I  entreated  him  to  bring 
them  forward.     He  turned  to  his  colleagues,  who,  how- 
ever, both  said  it  was  premature,   but  they  seemed  to 
hint  that  it  related  to  some  arrangement  to  be  made  with 
Spain.     Without,  however,  encouraging  this  idea,   (as  I 
thought  I  saw  it  would  lead  to  Gibraltar,)  I  continued  by 
saying,  that  this  proposal,  let  it  be  what  it  would,  must, 
according  to  my  ideas,  render  the  business  more  complex 
and  intricate  ;  that  I  had  simplified  it  by  acceding  in  full 
to  their  first  proposition  ;  that  we   required  nothing  in 
contradiction  to  their  constitution,  by  letting  all  the  ces- 
sions naturally  rest  on  those  Powers  in  the  war  who  had 
made  the  smallest  eiforts,  either  as  allies  to  the  French 
Republic,  or  in  defence  of  their  own  territories. 

M.  Le  Tourneur  took  up  the  defence  of  Holland  on 
rather  odd  grounds  by  saying,  they  were  compelled  by 
France  to  do  what  they  did.  Had  the  Dutch  not  been 
conquered,  they  would  still  have  been  faithful  allies  to 
England.  I  said  I  readily  admitted  this  argument,  but 
drew  a  direct  contrary  inference  from  it,  namely,  that 
the  burthen  of  the  cession  to  be  made  for  the  restoration 
of  peace  ought  to  come  from  them. 

M.  Le  Tourneur  observed,  that  although  we  pressed 
very  hard  on  their  Allies,  we  took  very  good  care  of  our 
own,  and  seemed  not  disposed  to  hear  of  any  burthen- 
some  conditions  being  imposed  on  Portugal.  I  said  the 
Court  of  Lisl)on  had  done  no  harm,  had  lost  nothing,  and 
tliat  it  was  but  reasonable  to  expect  it  should  be  allowed 
to  return  to  a  state  of  peace  without  any  sacrifice.  ]\I. 
Pl^ville  here  observed,  the  Portuguese  troops  and  ships 
were  at  Toulon.  I  agreed  to  this,  but  begged  him  to 
recollect  that  this  was  in  consequence  of  their  alliance 


1797.]  LISLE.  405 

with  Spain;  and  that  it  was  impossible  for  me  to  avoid 
remarking,  what  I  was  sure  must  also  strike  him,  that 
it  was  peculiarly  hard  on  the  Portuguese,  that  the  very 
country  who  had  made  them  first  take  a  part  in  the  war, 
should  be  the  very  first  to  attack  them  fi)r  having  borne 
a  share  in  it.  However,  we  were  getting  wide  from  the 
point,  to  which  I  begged  leave  to  recall  their  attention. 
That  immediately  on  leaving  them  I  should  despatch  a 
messenger  ;  that  what  that  messenger  carried  would  most 
materially  affect  the  progress  and  issue  of  the  Negotiation. 
I  therefore  desired  to  know  whether  in  consequence  of 
what  I  had  heard  from  them,  I  might  consider  the  strict 
and  literal  meaning  of  the  Declaration  not  to  be  a 
decided  negative  (which  it  certainly  seemed  to  imply) 
on  all  compensation  whatever  to  be  made  to  His  Majesty ; 
but  that  proposals  tending  to  this  effect  would  still  be 
listened  to.  M.  Le  Tourneur  answered,  "  Certainly ;  and  if 
they  should  be  found  such  as  it  will  be  impossible  for  us 
to  admit,  we  will  on  our  side  bring  forward  others  for 
your  Court  to  deliberate  on."  Under  this  assurance, 
which  at  least  to  a  certain  degree  qualifies  the  declaration 
of  yesterday,  I  broke  up  the  conference. 

I  have,  &c.  Malmesbury. 


(Inclosure  A,  Declaratory  Note.) 

Lille,  27  Messidor,  an  5  de  la  Republique  une  et  indivisible. 

Les  Ministres  Plenipotentiaires  de  la  Republique  Fran- 
9aise,  ont  fait  passer  a  leur  Gouvernement  le  Projet  de 
Trait6  et  la  Note  relative  qui  leur  ont  h6  pr^sent^s  le  20 
du  present  mois  par  le  Ministre  Pl^nipotentiaire  de  Sa 
Majeste  Britannique. 

lis  viennent  de  recevoir  des  communications  nouvelles, 
et  des  ordres,  en  consequence  desquels  ils  doivent  faire 
au  Lord  Malmesbury  la  declaration  suivante. 

H  existe  dans  les  Traites  Patents  et  Secrets  qui  tien- 
nent  la  Republique  Fran^aise  et  ses  Allies,  I'Espagne  et 
la  Republique  Batave,  des  Articles  portants  garantie  re- 
spective des  territoires  que  les  Trois  Puissances  posscdaient 


406  DIARIES  AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [l797. 

avant  la  guerre.  Le  Gouvernement  Fran^ais,  ne  pouvant 
pas  se  defaire  des  engagemens  qu'il  a  contractes  par  ces 
Trait6s,  ^tablit  comme  preliminaire  indispensable  de  la 
Negociation  pour  la  Paix  avec  I'Angleterre,  le  consente- 
ment  de  Sa  Majest6  Britannique  a  la  restitution  de  toutes 
les  possessions  qu'elle  occupe,  non  seulement  sur  la  R^pub- 
lique  Fran^aise,  mais  encore  et  formellement  sur  I'Espagne 
et  la  li^puljlique  Batave. 

En  consequence,  les  Ministres  Pl6iipotentiaires  sous- 
signes  invitent  Lord  Malmesbury  a  s'expliquer  sur  cette 
restitution  et  a  y  consentir  s'il  j  est  suffisamment  auto- 
ris6.  Si  non,  et  dans  le  cas  contraire,  a  envojer  un  cou- 
rier a  sa  Cour  pour  en  obtenir  les  pouvoirs  n^cessaires. 

L'objet  de  la  Conference  qui  devait  avoir  lieu  ce  jour, 
se  trouvant  necessairement  ajourn^  par  I'effet  de  la  decla- 
ration ci-dessus,  les  Ministres  Plenipotentiaires  de  la 
Repul)lique  ont  a  temoigner  au  Lord  Malmesbury  le 
regret  qu'ils  6prouvent  de  manquer  cette  occasion  qu'ils 
avaient  recherch^e  et  de  s'entrctenir  avec  lui ;  au  surplus 
dans  le  cas  ou  le  Lord  Malmesbury  auroit  quel  que  com- 
munication a  Icur  faire,  ils  le  prient  de  croire  qu'ils  se 
montreront  toujours  empresses  de  le  recevoir,  et  de  I'en- 
tendre  quand  il  le  jugera  a  j)ropos. 

lis  le  prient  en  m^me  temps  d'agreer  de  nouveau 
I'assurance,  &c.  Le  Tourneuk. 

Pleville  Le  Pelley. 
HuGUES  B.  Maret. 


(Inclosure  B.) 

A  Lille,  ce  15  Juillet,  1797. 

Le  Ministre  P16iipotentiaire  de  sa  Majeste  Britannique 
a  pret6  I'attention  la  plus  s^rieuse  a  la  Note,  en  date  de 
ce  matin,  qu'il  vient  de  recevoir  de  la  part  des  Ministres 
Pl(^nipotentiaires  de  la  R^publique  Fran^aise. 

11  n'liesite  pas  k  leur  declarer  que  ses  instnictions  ne 
Tautorisent  nullement  i\  adinettre,  comme  principe  pre- 
liminaire, c(^lui  que  leur  declaration  parait  vouloir  e+ablir. 
Cepeudant,  otant  persuade  que  son  premier  devoir  est  de 


1797.]  LISLE.  407 

ne  renoncer  a  I'espoir  d'une  conciliation  que  lorsqu'il 
aura  epuis6  tous  les  mojens  d'y  arriver,  et  voulant  ^carter 
dans  le  rapport  qu'il  aura  a  faire  a  sa  Cour  sur  un  objet 
aussi  important,  la  possibility  de  toute  mesintelligence, 
il  leur  deraandera  pour  demain  et  a  Theure  qui  pourra 
leur  convenir  une  Conference,  a  la  suite  de  laquelle  il  se 
propose  d'exp6dier  un  courier  a  sa  Cour. 

II  prie  les  Ministres  P16nipotentiaires,  &c. 

Malmesbury. 


(Inclosure  C.) 

Lille,  le  27  Messidor,  an  5  de  la  Republique  une  et  indivisible. 

Les  Ministres  Pl6nipotentiaires  de  la  R^publique  Fran- 
^aise  s'empressent  d'acc6der  au  ddsir  que  leur  temoigne  le 
Ministre  Pl^nipotentiaire  de  Sa  Majeste  Britannique  de 
conferer  avec  eux  sur  I'objet  de  la  Note  qu'ils  lui  ont 
adress6e  ce  jour.  lis  ont,  en  consequence,  I'honneur  de 
lui  proposer  de  se  rendre  demain,  k  onze  heures  du  ma- 
tin, au  lieu  ordinaire  des  conferences, 
lis  le  prient,  &c. 

Le  Tourneur. 

Pleville  Le  Pelley. 

HuGUES  B.  Maret. 


despatch  from  lord  malmesbury  to  lord  grenville. 

(Separate.)  Lisle,  Sunday,  16th  July,  1797. 

My  Lord, — Before  I  had  seen  the  French  Plenipoten- 
tiaries, and  had  no  other  ground  to  go  on  than  their 
Declaratory  Note,  I  was  inclined  to  think  that  the  Direc- 
tory were  determined  to  continue  the  war;  and  had  I 
transmitted  it  to  your  Lordship  yesterday,  all  my  opi- 
nions would  have  leant  that  way.  Since  my  Conference  of 
this  morning  they  are  somewhat  staggered  ;  I  do  not 
believe  that  the  Directory  are  systematically  bent  on 
pursuing  the  war,  but  I  do  believe  that  they  feel  them- 
selves strong  enough  in  office,  and  think  themselves  suffi- 


408  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [1797. 

ciently  safe  with  tlie  two  Councils,  to  insist  on  terms  of 
peace  very  hard  to  submit  to. 

I  can  have  no  information  here  to  go  upon.  Though 
very  civilly  and  attentively  treated,  yet  I  am  strictly 
watched;  and  if  any  pei'sons  were  inclined  to  bring  me 
intelligence,  it  would  be  very  difficult  for  them,  in  a  town 
like  this,  (full  of  unemployed,  inquisitive,  prying  inha- 
bitants,) to  see  me  without  risking  a  discovery  wliich 
would  be  very  fatal  to  them. 

It  is  from  this  reason  that  my  separate  despatches 
must  be  very  uninteresting. 

I  have,  &c,  Malmesbury. 


On  the  14th  of  July  an  Englishman,  whose  name  is 
Cunningham,  who  has  been  for  some  years  resident  at 
Lisle,  called  on  Mr.  Wesley,*  and  said  he  was  come  on 
business  of  the  utmost  importance,  which  he  had  been 
desired  to  communicate  to  some  persons  in  my  suite. 
He  then  produced  a  note,  which  he  said  he  had  received 
that  morning  from  a  M.  Pein,  a  most  intimate  friend  of 
his,  and  a  near  relation  of  JMaret's.  The  following  Avere 
the  words  of  the  note  : — "  II  serait  peut-etre  necessaire 
que,  pour  presser  la  Negociation,  Lord  Malmesbury  eut 
des  nioyens  de  s'entendre  et  preparer  les  matieres  avec  la 
personne  qui  est  vraimeut  la  seule  en  etat  de  conduire 
I'afiaire,  dans  ce  cas  on  pourrait  menager  au  Lord 
Malmesbury  un  interm6diaire,  qui  a  la  confiance  entiere 
de  la  personne  en  question,  et  qui,  comme  elle,  n'a  d'autre 
but  que  I'interet  de  tous,  et  un  arrangement  6galemeut 
convenable."  As  soon  as  Mr.  Wesley  had  read  the  note, 
Mv.  Cunningham  proceeded  to  state  that  his  friend  (M. 
Pein)  was  in  possession  of  the  entire  confidence  of  Maret, 
by  whom  he  had  been  authorized  to  make  the  above  over- 
ture. Mr.  Wesley  immediately  informed  me  of  what  had 
passed  Ijctween  Mr.  Cunningham  and  him,  and  it  was  agreed 
that  Mr.  Ellis  and  M.  Pein  should  meet  in  the  evening.     At 

*  Societal y  of  Legation  to  Loul  Malinoisbui y's  Mi.'<^ion, 


1797.]  LISLE.  409 

that  interview  M.  Pein  repeated  nearly  what  Mr.  Cunning- 
ham had  said  in  the  morning  ;  and  added  tliat  Maret's 
opinions  on  all  political  sul^jects  were  very  different  from 
those  of  the  other  Plenipotentiaries — that  he  was  the 
intimate  friend  of  Barthelemi,'''  through  whose  means  he 
had  been  appointed  one  of  the  Ministers  to  treat  for 
peace  with  England  ;  that  therefore  his  sentiments  could 
not  be  doubted,  as  it  was  well  known  Barthelemi  was 
sincerely  desirous  for  the  restoration  of  peace.  M.  Pein 
added  that  ^Maret  had  his  suspicions  with  respect  to 
the  intentions  of  the  Directory  ;  but  that  the  cry  of 
the  whole  Nation  was  so  decidedly  for  peace,  and  the 
majority  of  the  representatives  in  the  two  Councils  so 
convinced  of  the  impracticability  of  carrying  on  the  war 
for  a  much  longer  term,  that  if  the  Negotiation  was 
prudently  conducted,  the  Directory  must  in  the  end 
give  way.  M.  Pein,  in  the  course  of  this  conversation, 
frequently  insisted  on  the  necessity  of  gaining  time,  on 
wliich  he  said  the  success  of  the  whole  business  chiefly 
depended. 


EXTRACT  OF  A  DESPATCH  FROM  LORD  GRENVILLE  TO  LORD 

MALMESBURY. 

Downing  Street,  20tli  July,  1797. 

I  AM  much  concerned  to  be  under  the  necessity  of  re- 
marking, that  the  claim  brought  forward  in  the  Note 
transmitted  to  your  Lordship  by  the  French  Plenipoten- 
tiaries,! is  in  itself  so  extravagant,  and  so  little  to  be 
reconciled  either  with  the  former  professions  of  those 
Ministers,  or  with  their  conduct  in  the  previous  stages  of 
the  Negotiation,  that  it  affords  the  strongest  presumption 
of  a  determination  to  preclude  all  means  of  accommoda- 
tion. If  such  is  really  the  determination  of  the  Directory, 
nothing  can  remain  for  this  country  l)ut  to  persevere  in 
opposing,  with  an  energy  and  spirit  proportioned  to  the 

*  Baitlielcmi  was  now  one  of  tlie  Directors,  and  of  the  moderate  partv. 
t  The  Declaratory  Note  of  the  ir)th  July  (page  405). 


410  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [l797. 

exigency,  a  system  which  must  tend  to  perpetuate  a  state 
of  war  and  civil  tumult  in  every  part  of  Europe. 

The  natural  step  upon  the  present  occasion  would 
therefore  have  been  to  direct  your  Lordship  to  terminate 
at  once  a  Negotiation  Avhich,  on  the  footing  now  proposed 
by  the  enemy,  aifords  neither  the  hope  nor  the  means  of 
any  favourable  conclusion  ;  nothing  being  left  for  treaty, 
where,  as  a  preliminary  step,  one  party  is  required  to 
concede  everything,  and  all  compensation  from  the  other 
is  absolutely  and  at  once  precluded. 

His  Majesty's  servants  have,  however,  observed,  that  in 
the  conclusion  of  your  Lordship's  last  Conference  with  the 
French  Plenipotentiaries  on  the  subject  of  the  Note  in  ques- 
tion, the  President  of  that  Mission  informed  your  Lordship 
that  it  was  not  intended  to  resist  all  compensation  for  the 
immense  extent  of  restitution  demanded  from  His  Ma- 
jesty, and  for  the  other  obvious  circumstances  of  dis- 
advantage to  this  country  in  the  situation  of  Europe,  as 
resulting  from  the  war ;  and  even  added,  that  he  and  his 
colleagues  would  eventually  bring  forward  proposals  on 
this  head  for  the  deliberation  of  the  King's  Government. 
It  appeared  possible  that  some  advantage  might  perhaps 
arise  to  the  great  object  of  peace  from  grounding  on  this 
declaration  a  further  proceeding,  such  as  might  afford  to 
the  Directory  (if  they  are  so  disposed)  the  means  of 
replacing  the  Negotiation  on  a  more  practicable  footing. 
With  the  view,  therefore,  of  leaving  nothing  untried 
which  can  contribute  to  restore  peace  on  any  suitable 
terms,  His  Majesty  has  been  pleased  to  direct  that  yo*ur 
Lordship  should,  for  that  purpose,  ask  another  Conference 
with  the  French  Plenipotentiaries.  Li  this  Conference 
your  Lordship  will  remark,  in  such  terms  as  the  occasion 
must  necessarily  suggest  to  you,  upon  the  indefensible 
spirit  and  tendency  of  the  demand  noAv  made  by  France. 
You  will  observe  tliat  France,  treating  in  conjunction 
with  her  Allies,  and  in  their  name,  cannot  with  any  pre- 
tence of  justice  or  fairness  oppose  her  treaties  with  them 
as  an  obstacle  in  the  way  of  any  reasonable  proposal  of 
peace  in  which  they  are  to  be  included.  In  a  separate 
negotiation,  to  which  they  were  not  parties,  such  a  plea 


1797.]  LISLE.  411 

might  perhaps  have  been  urged  ;  but  in  that  case  France 
would  have  been  bound  to  offer  from  her  own  means  that 
compensation  which  she  did  not  think  herself  at  liberty 
to  obtain  from  her  Allies.     And  such  was,  in  fact,  as  your 
Lordship  must  remember,   the   principle  on  which  His 
Majesty  offered  to  treat  last  year,  when  he  was  really 
bound  by  engagements  to  Austria  similar  to  those  which 
are  now  alleged  by  France.     Spain  and  Holland  negoti- 
ating jointly  for  a  peace  with  Great  Britain,  can  set  up 
as  a  bar  to  our  just  demands  the  treaties  between  them- 
selves, from  which  they  are  at  once  able  to  release  each 
other  whenever  they  think  fit.     You  will  further  remark, 
that  even,   if  contrary  to  all  reason,   such  a  principle 
could  have  been  for  a  moment  admitted  on  our  part,  still 
even  that  principle,  (inadmissible  as  it  is,)  could  only 
apply  to  public  treaties,  known  to  those  who  agreed  to 
be  governed  by  them,  and  not  to  secret  articles  unknown 
even  to  the  French  Plenipotentiaries,  or  concealed  by  one 
of  them  from  the  knowledge  of  the  others.     You  will  add 
in  explicit,  though  not  in  offensive  terms,  that  the  whole 
of  this  pretence  now  set  up  by  France,  is  incontestably 
frivolous  and  illusory,  being  grounded  on  the  supposition 
of  a  state  of  things  directly  contrary  to  that  which  is 
known  really  to  exist.     It  being  perfectly  notorious  that 
both  Spain  and  Holland,  so  far  from  wishing  to  continue 
the  war,  were  compelled  by  France   to   engage   in  it, 
greatly  against  their  own  wishes,  and  to  undertake,  with- 
out the  means  of  supporting  it,  a  contest  in  which  they 
had  nothing  to  gain,  and  everything  to  lose.     It  never 
can,  therefore,  be  allowed  to  be  a  question  of  any  possible 
doubt,  but  that  the  Directory,  if  they  really  wish  it,  must 
already  have  obtained,  or  could  at  any  moment  obtain, 
the  consent  of  those  Powers  to  such  terms  of  peace  as 
have  been  proposed  by  His  Majesty.     If,  however,  France, 
from  any  motive  of  interest  or  engagement,  is  in  truth 
desirous  to  procure  for  them  the  restitution  of  possessions 
which  they  were  unable  to  defend,  and  have  no  means  to 
reconquer,  the  projet  delivered  by  your  Lordship  afforded 
an  opening  for  this ;  those  articles  having  been  so  drawn 
as  to  leave  it  to  France  to  provide  a  compensation  to  His 


412  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [l797. 

]\fajest3%  either  out  of  her  own  colonies  or  out  of  those  of 
her  Allies  respectively  conquered  by  His  ]\Iajesty's  arms. 
The  choice  between  these  alternatives  may  be  left  to  the 
Directory,  but  to  refuse  both,  is,  in  other  words,  to  refuse 
all  compensation. 

This   is,   nevertheless,  expressly   declared   not   to   be 
the   intention   of   those  with  whom  you  treat.      It   is 
therefore  necessary  tliat   your   Lordship  should  demand 
from  them  a  statement  of  the  proposals,  Avhich,  as  they 
informed  you,  they  have  to  make  in  order  to  do  away 
this  apparent  contradiction,  which   the  King's  servants 
are   wholly   unable   to    reconcile   by  any  suggestion  of 
theirs,  even  if  it  were  fitting  and  reasonable  for   them 
to  bring  forward  any  new  proposals  immediately  after 
the  detailed  projH  which  was  delivered  on  the  part  of 
this  country  at  the  outset  of  the  Negotiation.     Since  that 
2?rojet  is  not  acceded  to,  we  have  evidently,  and  on  every 
ground,  a  right  to  expect  a  contre-projH,  equally  full  and 
explicit  on  the  part  of  the  enemy.     You  will  therefore 
state  to  the  French  Minister  distinctly,   that  the  only 
hope  of  bringing  this  business  to  a  favourable  conclusion 
is  hy  his  stating  at  once,  plainly  and  without  reserve,  the 
whole  of  what  they  have  to  ask,  instead  of  bringing  for- 
ward separate  points  one  after  the  other,  not  only  con- 
trary to  the  avowed  principle  of  the  Negotiation,  proposed 
by  themselves,  but,  as  it  appears,  even  contrary  to  the 
expectations  of  the  Ministers  themselves,  who  are  em- 
ployed on  the  part  of  France.     There  can  be  no  pretence 
for  refusing  a  compliance  with  this  demand,  if  the  Pleni- 
potentiaries of  France  are  disposed  to  forward  the  object 
of  peace  ;  and  the  obtaining  such  a  statement  from  them 
is,  as  I  have  before  stated  to  your  Lordship,  a  point  of 
so  much  importance  in  any  course  which  the  Negotiation 
may  take,  that  it  is  the  King's  pleasure  that  your  Lord- 
ship should  use  every  possible  exertion  to  prevent  them 
from  eluding  so  just  a  demand. 

After  what  has  passed,   it  is,   I  fear,  very  doubtful 
whether  such  a  contre-projct  would  be  framed  on  prin-    • 
ciples  such  as  would  be  admitted  here ;  but  it  would,  at 
all  events,  place  the  l)usiness  on  its  real  issue,  and  bring 


1797.]  LISLE.  413 

distinctly  to  a  question  the  several  points  on  which  the 
conclusion  of  peace,  or  prolongation  of  war,  will  really 
depend. 


EXTRACT  OF  A  LETTER  FROM  LORD  GRENVILLE  TO  LORD 

MALMESBURY. 

Cleveland  Row,  20th  July,  1797. 

The  complexion  of  your  last  despatch  is  certainly  much 
more  unfavourable  to  Peace,  than  I  thought  the  Directory 
could  have  ventured  to  shew,  under  the  present  circum- 
stances of  the  country  in  which  you  are.  My  only  hope 
is  in  firmness,  without  asperity  of  tone.  We  have  pur- 
posely postponed  saying  anything  on  the  two  points  of 
the  King's  title  and  of  the  Toulon  ships,  till  we  see  more 
clearly  into  the  intentions  of  the  French  respecting  terms ; 
for,  in  truth,  neither  those  points,  nor  any  other  in  such  a 
treaty  as  this,  are  separate,  or  can  be  insulated  (as  they 
call  it)  from  the  general  consideration  of  the  whole. 
Good  terms  as  to  matters  of  substantial  importance  might 
make  us  more  disposed  to  overlook  points  of  form,  which 
are,  however,  as  you  well  know,  matters  of  real  substance 
when  they  relate  to  the  intercourse  of  two  great  Powers, 
whose  most  valuable  possession  is  national  dignity,  and  a 
due  sense  of  their  own  importance  and  weight. 

I  think  the  first  point  might  be  arranged  (but  this  is 
merely  my  own  private  opinion)  by  using  in  the  Treaty  the 
st3de  of  King  of  Great  Britain  only,  for  which  you  will  see 
there  are  precedents  enougli  down  to  the  peace  of  Utrecht, 
but  retaining  the  present  style  in  full  powers,  the  ratifica- 
tion, and  all  other  instruments  to  which  this  Government 
is  a  party.  Perhaps  the  words  Britannic  Majesty  would 
be  better  than  ^King  of  Great  Britain,  and  these  are  now 
very  often  used  even  in  our  latest  treaties  and  conven- 
tions. As  to  the  acts  of  our  own  Government,  the  French 
have  no  more  right  to  object  to  any  title  the  King  takes, 
than  we  have  to  quarrel  with  the  denominations  of  their 
Councils,  or  any  other  branch  of  their  Government. 

Beyond   this  we   might  go  so  far  as  to  add  to  the 


414  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [l797. 

separate  article  some  words  not  admitting  it  to  be  only 
a  genealogical  title,  but  declaring  that  it  is  not  meant 
to  prejudice  the  King's  acknowledgment  of  a  republican 
form  of  government  in  France. 

The  Toulon  question  is  more  difficult,  and  has  more  of 
substance  in  it.  We  do  not  quite  understand  how  far  the 
demand  is  meant  to  go,  whether  to  restore  those  ships 
which  can  be  restored,  or  to  compensate  for  those  which  are 
burnt ;  or  to  restore,  and  if  not,  to  compensate  for  those 
only  which  are  now  in  our  possession.  If  the  former,  it  is 
the  question  of  a  fleet  of  eighteen  sail  of  the  line,  and  as 
many  frigates,  the  value  of  which  is  perhaps  fully  equal 
to  some  of  the  conquests  we  restore.  I  confess  I  hardly 
see  how  we  can  in  any  case  do  more  than  let  some  words 
be  inserted  in  the  act  of  our  restitutions,  in  which  they 
shall  be  said  to  be  made  in  compensation  for  the  ships, 
&c.  This,  hoAvever,  is  also  private  opinion  only,  and  on 
a  point  on  which  the  King's  Government  think  an  ulti- 
mate decision  cannot  be  taken  without  some  reference  to 
the  terms  of  the  peace. 


EXTRACT   OF  A  LETTER  FROM    MR.  CANNING    TO    LORD 

MALMESBURY. 

Spring-  Gardens,  20tli  Jnly,  17!)7.     ■ 

There  could  be  but  one  answer  to  the  contents  of  your 
last  despatches,  and  that  I  think  is  well,  and  firmly,  and 
temperately  given  in  Lord  Grenville's  despatch  of  this  day. 
I  am  lost  in  conjecture  as  to  what  the  Directory  can  pos- 
sibly mean,  and  have  already  so  fully  detailed  my  doubts 
and  anxieties  to  George  Ellis,  that  I  will  content  myself 
with  expressing  to  you  the  patient  solicitude  with  Avhicli 
I  shall  wait  for  their  solution  ;  —  patient,  because  the 
cheerful  manner  in  which  you  (and  all  of  you)  describe 
the  alteration  in  your  feelings,  and  the  improvement  of 
your  prospects,  between  the  time  of  tlie  receipt  of  the 
Note,  and  the  despatching  of  your  messenger,  induces  me 
to  believe  (in  contradiction  to  any  judgment  I  can  form 


1797]  LISLE.  415 

for  myself  from  tlie  jDremises  laid  down  to  me)  that  good 
will  come  of  it  in  the  end,  and  that  these  monstrous  de- 
mands are  but  the  prelude  to  some  handsome  conciliatory 
accommodation. 

I  communicated  to  Lord  Grenville,  as  you  will  see  by 
his  private  letter,  that  which  you  wrote  to  me  upon  the 
two  points  of  the  King's  Title,  and  the  Renewal  of  Treaties. 
Upon  the  last  point  he  appears  to  have  said  as  much  as 
need  be  said,  that  is,  to  have  left  you  entirely  to  yourself. 
Upon  the  first  he  has  added  rather  more  than  I  expected 
to  the  spirit  of  your  proposal.  I  should  think  the  style 
of  "  Britannic  Majesty"  might  get  over  all  objections  ; 
but  a  formal  surrender  of  the  title — Are  the  French 
aware  what  it  means  1  that  it  will  go  to  alter  every  pub- 
lic instrument  in  every  civil  process  in  the  kingdom '? 
that  the  alteration  itself  cannot  be  made  but  by  Act  of 
Parliament  1  that  to  make  it  otherwise  would  be  high 
treason,  and  against  the  Act  of  Settlement,  which  is  to  us 
what  the  Constitutional  Act  is  to  them,  or  at  least  might 
be  represented  as  such  without  much  exaggeration.  I  am 
aware  that  these  arguments  cannot  be  urged  without  one 
danger,  that  of  making  the  thing  of  so  much  importance 
as  to  render  the  concession  of  it  (if  it  ultimately  be  con- 
ceded) a  matter  of  increased  difficulty  and  dishonour, 
and  possibly  even  to  lead  them  to  suppose  that  we  attach 
more  substance  to  the  title  than  in  reality  we  do,  and  to 
be  therefore  the  more  anxious  to  extort  it  from  us.  But, 
on  the  other  hand,  if  there  be  the  smallest  desire  to  con- 
ciliate, and  to  come  to  the  conclusion  of  a  peace,  which 
shall  not  leave  in  us  more  hatred  towards  each  other  than 
we  have  carried  through  the  bitter  parts  of  the  contest,  I 
think  the  fair  representation  of  the  infinite  inconvenien- 
ces that  would  arise  from  calling  for  a  Legislative  Act  of 
such  a  nature  as  to  put  the  people  of  this  country  imme- 
diately out  of  humour  with  the  issue  of  the  Negotiation, 
compared  with  the  very  trifling  importance  to  them  (the 
French)  of  a  sacrifice  so  insignificant,  would  induce  the 
French  Plenipotentiaries  to  acquiesce  in  one  or  other  of 
the  compromises  that  may  be  proposed  to  them,  if  not  to 
let  the  matter  drop  altogether. 


416  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [179?. 


LETTER   FROM    MR.    CANNING    TO    LORD    MALMESBURY. 

Spring  Gardens,  Thursday  Night,  20th  July,  1797. 

My  DEAR  Lord  Malmesbury, — I  have  not  mucli  matter 
for  my  7nost  private  letter  to-night,  besides  approving  (as 
I  do  exceedingly)  of  the  invention,  and  expressing  my 
desire  that  we  may  keep  to  the  use  of  it,  throughout  the 
Negotiation,  in  the  manner  and  for  the  purposes  for  which 
it  has  been  originally  designed.  I  am  glad,  too,  that  you 
kept  back  (though  not  expressly  desired  to  do  so)  from 
everybody  but  George  Ellis  what  was  said  in  my  last 
letter  about  the  Cabinet. 

You  will,  I  think,  have  understood  the  meaning  and 
intent  of  the  resolutions""'  of  the  Cabinet  mentioned  in  my 
other  letter  of  this  day,  in  the  manner  in  which  I  under- 
stand it,  which  is,  that  it  was  devised  by  Lord  Grenville 
to  tie  up  Pitfs  tongue  alone,  whom  he  suspected  of 
communicating  with  other  persons,  and  fortifying  himself 
with  out-of-door  opinions  against  the  opinions  which  might 
be  brought  forward  in  Council  by  those  with  whom  lie 
differed  in  his  general  view  of  the  J!^egotiation.  I  am  not 
sure  that  he  did  not  suspect  him  further  of  sounding 
the  public  sentiment  through  the  newspapers  as  to  the 
terms  which  it  might  be  proper  to  accept,  and  the  con- 
cessions which  it  might  be  excusable  to  make  for  the  sake 
of  peace. 

Upon  the  last  decision  of  the  Cabinet  there  can  have 
been,  and  was,  but  little  difference — a  difference  only  with 
respect  to  expressions.  It  is  the  fault  of  the  French,  if 
they  have  not  a  peace  as  good  as  to  terms  as  they  can 
reasonably  desire.  But  if  they  will  not  only  be  stout  m 
re,  but  in  mode  offensive  and  insulting,  even  all  the 
desire  for  peace  which  is  felt  here,  and  all  the  difficulty 

*  "  In  consequence  of  some  circumstaiicos  having  transpired,  a  rcsohition 
was  passed  to  oblige  the  members  of  the  Cabinet  to  secrecy  on  the  subject 
of  Lord  Malmcsbury's  negotiation.  Mr.  Canning  and  Mr.  Hammond  were 
nh)ne  to  open  tlie  (lespatches  and  answer  tlieni,  and  as  tlie  latter  wrote  an 
abominable  hand,  his  copies  only  were  to  be  shewn  to  tiie  minor  mcml)ers 
of  the  Cabinet,  who,  it  was  hoped,  would  not  take  the  trouble  to  decypher 
them." — Mr.  Canning's  Letter. 


1797]  LISLE.  417 

of  carrying  on  war,  great  and  growing  as  this  desire  and 
this  difficulty  are,  must  give  way  to  the  conviction  that 
though  to  purchase  peace  at  a  high  price  might  be  a  safe 
disgi'ace,  to  submit  to  the  law  of  the  Directory  thus  inso- 
lently laid  down,  in  any  one  instance  however  compa- 
ratively unimportant,  would  be  to  go  through  disgrace  to 
destruction. 

There  are  very  few  points,  very  few  indeed,  of  acqui- 
sition, perhaps  in  reality  none,  upon  which,  in  a  nego- 
tiation fairly  and  creditably  carried  on,  much  difficulty 
or  much  stand  would  ultimately  be  made  hei^e,  at  the 
hazard  of  another  campaign.  But  I  think  there  is  no 
point  among  them  which,  urged  in  the  manner  in  which 
the  Directory  seem  disposed  to  urge  them,  would  not 
make  it  to  be  felt  here  impossible  to  take  any  other 
line  than  resistance.  I  hope  we  shall  not  come  to  the 
necessity  of  taking  that  line  seriously.  At  present  the 
demands  are  so  extravagant  that  I  think  they  can  hardly 
be  in  earnest.  And  yet,  what  can  they  mean"?  do  tell 
us  truly  and  speedily.     Adieu. 


EXTRACTS    OF    A    DESPATCH    FROM    LORD    MALMESBURY    TO 

LORD    GREA'VILLE. 

Lisle,  25th  July,  1797. 

I  RECEIVED  on  the  18th  instant,  from  the  French  Lega- 
tion, a  notification  in  form,  that  M.  Pleville  Le  Pelley'" 
was  named  to  the  jMinistry  of  Marine,  in  the  room  of 
M,  Truguet,t  ^"^^^  ^t  the  same  time,  they  communi- 
cated to  me  an  arrete  of  the  Directory,  empowering  the 
tAvo  remaining  Plenipotentiaries,  Messrs.  Le  Tourneur  and 
]\Iaret,  to  go  on  with  the  Negotiation. 

On  the  1 9th,  I  was  informed  that  a  further  change  had 


*  Pleville  Le  Pelley  vieux  et  brave  marin,  administrateur  excellent. — 
(Thiers.) 

+  Truguet  etoit  un  homme  loyal  et  a  grands  moyens,  mais  n'ayant  pas 
pour  les  personnes  les  raenagemens  necessaires  a  la  tete  d'une  grande 
administration. — (Id.) 

VOL.  IIL  2    E 


418  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [1797. 

taken  place  in  the  French  ]\Iinistiy.  That  M.  Delacroix 
had  been  removed  from  the  post  of  Minister  for  Foreign 
Aifairs,  and  was  replaced  by  M.  Talleyrand  Perigord 
(formerly  Bishop  of  Autim)  ;'"  that  also  the  Ministers 
of  the  War  Department,  of  Police,  of  Home  Affairs,  were 
to  be  changed  :  but  I  could  not  learn  with  certainty 
that  any  of  these  places  had  been  actually  given  away, 
excepting  those  of  Messrs.  Delacroix,  Truguet,  and 
Cochon.f 

It  appears,  not  only  from  the  public  papers,  which  your 
Lordship  undoubtedly  has  perused,  but  also  from  private 
information  on  which  I  can  rely,  that  this  alteration  of 
the  Ministry  was  first  determined  on  in  consequence  of 
great  discontents  which  demonstrated  themselves  at  Paris ; 
but  that  the  change,  as  it  has  now  taken  place,  has  by 
no  means  tended  to  quiet  the  public  mind,  since,  though 
the  Ministers  of  Marine  and  Foreign  Affairs  have  been 
superseded,  it  also  has  displaced  some  of  the  most  popu- 
lar Members  of  Administration,  and  left  Eamel  and 
Merlin,  two  against  whom  the  general  cry  was  loudest,  in 
possession  of  their  office. 

Messrs.  Delacroix  and  Truguet  were  removed  by  the 
unanimous  vote  of  the  Directory  ;  the  other  Ministers 
were  discarded  by  a  majority  of  only  one.  Barras, 
R6veilliere  Lepaux,  and  Rewbell,  were  for  their  dis- 
mission ;  Carnot  and  Barthelemi  were  for  their  remain- 
ing in  office.^  I  am  told,  and  I  believe  I  speak  from 
good  information,  that  when  the  question  of  a  change  in 
the  Ministry  was  in  agitation,  it  had  been  previously 
settled,  that  only  Messrs.  Delacroix  and  Truguet  should 
be  removed  ;  but  Barras,  who  had  affected  to  agree  in 

*  The  universal  reputation  of  Talleyrand  renders  any  notice  of  liim 
unnecessary  in  a  work  of  this  kind.  It  is  sufficient  to  renienihcr  that, 
during  a  life  of  eighty-five  years,  he  served  the  old  French  Monarchy, — the 
Directory,  Consulate,  Empire,  Restoration,  and  Orleans  Dynasty.  He  must 
he  regarded  as  the  most  able  political  pilot  on  record. 

t  Tliis  was  the  first  step  of  the  Ultra-Republican  section  of  tiie  Direc- 
tory towards  the  exi)ulsion  of  their  more  moderate  colleagues,  Carnot  and 
Bartlielemi,  and  of  tlie  Peace  party. 

X  The  first  three  composed  the  violent  section  of  the  Directory,  ard  were 
for  continuing  the  war  at  any  price  ;  the  two  latter  were  of  the  moderate 
]iarty,  and  for  peace  with  England. 


1797.]  LISLE.  419 

opinion  with  Barthelemi  and  Carnot,  deserted  tliem  when 
the  five  Directors  met ;  and  though  he  voted  with  them 
for  the  removal  of  Delacroix  and  Triiguet,  he  voted 
also  with  ReAvbell  and  La  R^veilliere  Lepaux,  for  the 
removal  of  the  other  three  ;  that  of  Benezech,"""  Minister 
for  tlie  Home  Department,  is  not  very  important ;  Ijut 
the  dismissal  of  Cochon,  Minister  of  Police,  and  Petiet,t 
IVIinister  of  War,  are  considered  as  highly  so.  They  are 
both  reputed  to  have  filled  their  situations  with  equal 
ability  and  integrity  ;  and  their  being  turned  out  without 
any  ostensible  cause,  fixes  suspicion  of  the  most  serious 
nature  on  the  three  Directors  who  voted  for  their  dis- 
missal. These  suspicions  go  to  the  most  extreme  lengths, 
and  if  your  Lordship  has  attended  to  what  has  been  said 
in  the  Councils,  particularly  by  Thibaudeau,J  Henri 
Lariviere,  and  Boissy  D'Anglas,  (who,  although  often 
divided  in  opinion,  are,  on  this  point,  strictly  united,) 
you  will  perceive  that  it  is  impossible  for  the  Legislative 
Authority  to  call  in  question  the  intentions  and  mea- 
sures of  the  Executive  Power,  in  more  plain  or  direct 
terms. 

The  removal  of  an  upright  and  incorruptible  Minister 
of  Police,  it  is  affirmed  by  the  leaders  of  the  moderate 
party,  is  intended  with  a  view  to  get  an  entire  possession 
of  Paris,  in  order  that  the  Directory  may  fill  it  with  their 
dependants  and  emissaries.  Le  Noir  La  Roche,§  who  is 
appointed  to  this  office,  is  taken  from  the  club  held  at 
the  Hotel  de  Salm,  and  he  has  the  reputation  of  being 
well  fitted  for  the  purpose  of  the  Directory,  both  on  the 
score  of  moral  character  and  political  opinions. 

The  removal  of  Petiet  from  the  War  Department  is,  it 
is  said,  done  with  a  similar  view.  It  is  to  place  the 
uncontrolled  disposal  of  the  army  in  the  hands  of  the 
Directory,  or  when  a  breach  of  constitution  is  already 
fixed,  by  their  having  ordered  a  considerable  body  of 
troops  to  approach  within  twelve  leagues  of  the  place 

*  Ben^zech  administrateur  excellent,  courtisan  docile, 
t  Petiet  etoit  la  creature  devouee  de  Carnot. 
t  Thibaudeau  chef  du  parti  constitutionnel. — (Thiers.) 
§  Le  Noir  homme  sage  et  eclaire. — (Thiers.) 

2  E  2 


420  DIARIES   AND    CORRESPONDENCE.  [l797. 

where  the  two  Councils  are  held,  without  any  requisition 
or  authority  from  those  assemblies. 

When  I  mention  the  Directory,  I  must  be  understood 
to  mean  only  the  three  Directors,  Barras,  Rewbell,  and 
La  Reveilliere  Lepaux. 

Their  object  evidently  is  to  maintain  their  present 
power  by  force,  to  govern  by  force  alone ;  and  this, 
whether  under  the  denomination  of  a  Jacobin,  a  Giron- 
diste,  or  .Sectary  of  any  other  faction,  comes  so  much 
to  the  same,  that  it  is  not  worth  while  to  investigate 
which  may  predominate  among  them. 

It  is  not  difficult  to  say  what  would  be  the  conse- 
quences of  their  success  ;  probably  a  confirmation  of 
almost  despotic  government  in  France,  and  a  systematic 
attempt  to  introduce  a  revolutionary  one  everywhere  else, 
beginning,  in  the  first  instance,  with  Spain,  and  extend- 
ing it  to  Portugal. 

It  appears,  from  various  circumstances,  that  Buonaparte 
professed  himself  to  be  acting  in  concert  with  the  Direc- 
tory ;  but  it  remains  to  be  seen  whether  he  will  support 
them  throughout,  or  whether  he  will  not  shake  off  their 
authority  when  he  no  longer  wants  their  support  to  com- 
plete his  wild  and  gigantic  plans  in  Italy. 

A  considerable  majority  in  tlie  two  Councils,  and  a 
still  greater  one  in  the  country  at  large,  dread  the  return 
of  'Hhe  system  of  terror,^\s[dX(:]\  with  the  most  jealous  vigil- 
ance every  step  of  the  Directory,  and  declare  avowedly 
their  fixed  intention  to  resist  it  to  the  utmost.  The 
Directory,  on  their  side,  are  endeavouring  to  rally  their 
friends  round  them,  and  are  using  all  those  means  which 
desperate  and  daring  characters,  invested  with  great 
authority,  venture  to  employ  when  restrained  by  no 
scruples ;  and  I  fear  the  great  expectations  and  secret 
means  of  acting  which  they  derive  from  their  situation 
will,  when  the  struggle  comes,  Ijalance  for  awhile  the 
advantages  the  Councils  may  derive  from  their  numbers, 
and  from  the  popularity  of  their  cause. 

Both  parties,  however,  seem  determined  not  to  post- 
pone this  struggle,  but  to  come  to  a  speedy  trial  of  their 
strength  ;  and  a  person,  whose  authority  cannot  be  called 


1797.]  LISLE.  421 

in  question,  and  who  is  deeply  interested  in  the  event, 
describes  Paris  at  this  moment  as  being  "  dans  luie 
crise  abominable." '"' 

The  consequence  I  deduce  from  it  is,  that  while  this 
crisis  is  pending,  we  cannot  expect  our  negotiations  to 
proceed  regularly  or  smoothly  ;  and  if  I  may  hazard  an 
opinion,  I  cannot  but  believe  we  shall  be  gainers  by 
delay. 

The  present  conflict  between  the  Executive  and  the 
Legislative  branches  of  this  Government  has  arisen  on 
subjects  of  internal  government  only,  and  is,  in  its  first 
principle,  foreign  to  the  great  question  of  peace  or  war, 
though  ultimately  closely  connected  with  it.  If  the 
party  in  the  Directory  which  preserves  the  old  principles 
of  tiiat  body  should  be  in  the  end  victorious,  it  is  pro- 
bable that  they  will  not  be  willing,  after  their  victory, 
(supposing  it  to  be  brought  about  by  anything  short  of 
what  is  called  ''the  susfem  of  terror,")  to  renew  the  conflict 
on  irrouuds  which  must  give  considerable  advantage  to 
their  antagonists  :  if,  on  the  contrary,  the  moderate  party 
should  prevail,  there  is  little  doubt  but  that  Barras  would 
join  Avith  Carnot  and  Barthelemi,  who  are  decidedly 
friends  to  peace,  and  enemies  to  the  late  violent  determi- 
nation respecting  the  interests  of  the  Allies,  and  the  paci- 
fication mio-ht  then  be  considered  as  almost  certain. 

In  either  case,  therefore,  I  think  the  issue  ol  this  criti- 
cal juncture,  be  it  what  it  will,  cannot  be  very  uniavour- 
able.  I  have  only  to  ap})rchend  Ivewbell,  who  is  disposed 
to  run  all  risks,  with  a  view  of  supporting  and  increasing 
the  Directorial  authority,  and  who  may,  (although  it 
would  be  a  violent  step  even  for  him  to  take,)  in  the 
first  impulse  of  passion,  order  the  French  Plenipotentiaries 
to  break  ofi"  the  Negotiation,  and  me  to  leave  Lisle. 

It  was  in  contemplation  for  a  moment  to  send  M.  De- 
lacroix to  this  ]\Iission  in  the  place  of  ]\I.  Plcville,  but 
he  is  now  fortunately  appointed  to  Basle  : — I  sa}'  for- 
tunatehi,  as  I  have  very  good  reason  to  believe  that 
from  personal  pique  against  ine,  he  would  have  employed 

*  These  words  are  Barthclemi's,  in  a  letter  to  Maret. 


422  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [l797. 

every  means  in  his  power  to  defeat  the  Negotiation,  and 
that  the  extravagant  idea  set  forth  in  the  French  Note  of 
the  1 5  th  was  of  his  suggesting.  I  know  it  was  strongly 
opposed  by  the  two  moderate  Directors,  but  violently 
insisted  on  by  Rewbell ;  and  this  is  an  additional  ground 
for  the  apprehension  I  have  expressed  concerning  the 
possible  consequences  of  his  rashness  and  intemperance. 

I  was  disposed  to  think  very  favourably  of  M.  P16ville  ; 
and  the  way  in  which  he  has  expressed  himself  at  Paris, 
and  the  impression  he  has  endeavoured  to  give,  prove 
I  was  not  wrong  in  the  opinion  I  had  formed  of  him. 

It  is  possible  that  j\I.  Colchen  may  be  appointed  to  fill 
his  place  in  the  Mission  ;  and  I  confess,  if  it  is  to  be  filled 
at  all,  I  am  desirous  it  should  be  by  him.  He  is  a  friend 
of  ]\I.  Barthelemi,  and  protected  by  him  ;  and  of  the  sen- 
timents and  wishes  of  this  Director  relative  to  peace,  I 
can  have  no  doubt.  It  is  much  to  be  regretted  that  he 
has  not  acquired  an  adequate  degree  of  power  in  the 
Directory,  being  supported  only  by  Carnot,  and  that  on 
some  general  subjects,  and  not  uniformly  and  on  system, 

M.  Le  Tourneur,  from  the  connection  which  he  still 
keeps  up  with  his  old  colleagues,  may  be  considered  as 
acting  under  their  impression,  and,  of  course,  I  must 
not  expect  to  find  him  so  practicable  as  M.  JVIaret, 
with  whom  hitherto  I  have  every  reason  to  be  satisfied. 

I  venture  to  say  that  I  have  inserted  no  doubtful  facts 
in  this  despatch,  and  by  placing  them  at  once  under 
your  eyes,  you  will  be  able  to  form  as  just  an  idea  of 
the  present  uncertain  situation  of  this  country,  as  it 
is  in  my  power  to  give.  I  believe  it  to  be  true  and 
genuine,  and  if  I  see  it  in  its  right  point  of  view,  the 
conclusion  to  be  drawn  from  it  is,  that  the  fate  of  the 
Negotiation  will  depend  much  less  on  what  passes  in  our 
conferences  here,  than  on  what  may  happen  very  shortly 
at  Paris. ''' 

*  It  will  be  seen,  by  subsequent  events,  liow  correct  a  channel  of  private 
information  Lord  IMalinesbury  had  established. 


1797.J  LISLE.  423 


EXTRACTS    OF    A  DESPATCH    FROM   LORD  MALMESBURY  TO 

LORD    GRENVILLE. 

Lisle,  25th  July,  1797. 

It  was  impossible  tliat  the  claim  brought  forward  in 
the  Declaratory  Note  enclosed  in  mine  of  July  1 7th  could 
have  produced  on  your  Lordship's  mind  any  impression 
different  from  that  which  you  describe  ;  and  I  am  happy 
to  find  that  the  conduct  I  observed  when  it  was  first 
delivered  to  me,  was  such  as  puts  it  in  my  power  to 
execute  with  great  consistency  the  spirited  instructions 
your  Lordship  now  sends  me. 

Immediately  on  the  arrival  of  the  messenger,  I  pro- 
posed an  interview  with  the  French  Plenipotentiaries, 
and  we  met  on  Sunday,  the  23rd,  at  1  p.m. 

My  first  object  was  to  state,  in  as  forcible  a  way  as 
possible,  the  utter  inadmissibility  of  the  pretension  set 
forth  in  the  N'ote,  the  frivolous  and  illusory  reasons 
alleged  for  bringing  it  forward ;  and  I  observed  that 
if  it  was  persevered  in,  it  must  lead  to  this  necessary 
conclusion,  that  there  did  exist,  when  it  was  framed, 
an  intention  on  the  part  of  the  Directory  to  break  off 
the  N'egotiation  in  the  outset.  My  second  ol)ject  in 
point  of  reasoning,  though  a  very  primary  one  in  point 
of  importance,  was  either  to  prevent  the  Negotiation 
from  breaking  off  at  all,  or  if  this  was  not  to  be  pre- 
vented, to  endeavour  to  be  so  clear  and  explicit  in  my 
language,  and  to  draw  the  line  so  distinctly  between 
such  sacrifices  as  His  Majesty  might  be  inclined  to 
make,  in  order  to  restore  so  great  a  blessing  as  peace, 
and  those  to  which  the  dignity  of  his  Crown  and  interest 
of  his  subjects  would  never  allow  him  to  attend;  as  to 
make  it  impossible  that  by  any  future  cavil  or  sub- 
terfuge, the  interruption  of  the  Treaty,  if  unfortunately 
it  should  be  interrupted,  could  be  imputed  to  any  other 
cause  than  the  exorbitant  demands  of  the  French  Go- 
vernment ;  and  the  better  to  ensure  this  purpose,  I 
explained  to  them  that  His  Majesty  having  already  in 
a  detailed  projH  stated  freely  and  fully  his  conditions. 


424  DIARIES  AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [l797. 

and  those  conditions  having  been  at  once  rejected  by 
a  sweeping  claim  on  the  part  of  the  French  Govern- 
ment, it  was  not  fitting  or  reasonable,  neither  could  it 
be  expected  that  any  new  proposals  should  originate 
with  His  Majesty  ;  and  that  on  every  ground  the  King 
had  a  right  to  expect  a  contre-p^ojet  from  them,  stating 
at  once  plainly  and  without  reserve  the  whole  of  what 
they  had  to  ask,  instead  of  bringing  forward  separate 
points,  one  after  another. 

On  the  first  point,  on  the  inadmissibility  of  the  preli- 
minary conditions  as  proposed  by  the  French  Govern- 
ment, ]\I.  Le  Tourneur  said,  it  was  impossible  for  them 
to  do  more  than  to  take  it  for  reference,  that  the 
instructions  they  had  received,  when  the  Directory  sent 
them  the  Note,  were  precise  and  positive,  and  that  they 
had  received  none  since. 

In  regard  to  the  second  point,  he  had  no  hesitation  in 
agreeing  with  me,  that  the  best  method,  and,  indeed, 
the  only  one  which  could  accelerate  the  whole  of  the 
business,  was  for  them  to  give  in  a  contre-jwojet ;  neither 
did  he  attempt  to  disprove  our  perfect  right  to  expect 
one  from  them  before  we  made  any  new  proposals.  But 
he  said  that  it  was  not  necessary  for  him  to  observe  that 
as  long  as  they  were  bound  by  their  instructions  not  to 
give  way  on  the  proposition  I  had  now  so  decidedly 
rejected,  that  it  was  impossible  for  them  to  move  a 
step  without  new  orders  from  the  Directory.  That  they 
would  ask  for  these  orders  immediatelv,  and  lose  no 
time  in  acquainting  me  when  they  were  received. 

I  observed  tliat  in  our  last  Conference  he  had  inti- 
mated to  me  they  were  empowered  to  come  to  some 
explanation  with  me  on  the  subject  of  compensation 
to  be  made  to  Ilis  Majesty  for  the  great  cessions  he 
was  disposed  to  make  ;  that  at  the  time  I  conceived 
these  explanations  were  of  a  nature  to  qualify  the  wide 
claim  stated  in  the  Note ;  and  that  if  I  had  abstained 
from  pressing  him  further  at  the  moment,  it  was  from 
perceiving  a  reluctance  on  their  part  to  bring  them 
forward.  That,  liowever,  if  tlicy  really  had  such  pro- 
posals to  make  me,   and  if  they  were  of  a  nature    to 


1797.]  LISLE.  425 

meet  in  substance  and  effect  the  basis  laid  down  in 
the  projH  I  had  given,  I  should  be  well  disposed  to 
listen  to  them. 

M.  Le  Tourneur,  after  some  hesitation,  and  a  sort  of 
silent  reference  to  ]\I.  Maret,  said  he  thought  as  matters 
now  stood  it  would  be  much  better  to  wait  their  answer 
from  Paris. 

I  confined  myself,  in  my  reply  to  M.  Le  Tourneur,  by 
saying  I  had  no  objection  whatever  in  giving  to  the 
French  Plenipotentiaries  a  paper,  stating  the  strong 
motives  on  which  His  Majesty  rejected  the  proposition 
made  in  their  Note  of  the  1 5  th ;  and  that  as  I,  on  my 
part,  had  considered  it  a  duty  to  make  my  reports  as 
conciliatory  as  was  consistent  with  truth  and  correctness, 
so  I  heard,  with  great  pleasure,  the  assurances  he  gave 
me  of  their  intending  to  observe  the  same  line  of 
conduct. 

That  as  we  seemed  perfectly  agreed  as  to  the  propriety 
of  their  producing  a  conire-pi'OJH,  I  had  nothing  to  say 
on  that  point,  except  to  express  my  most  sincere  wish 
that  it  would  soon  appear,  and  when  it  did  appear,  be 
such  a  one  as  would  lead  to  a  speedy  and  satisfactory 
conclusion  of  the  Negotiation. 

If  I  did  not  animadvert  on  the  sort  of  retraction  of  M.  Le 
Tourneur,  from  what  he  said  on  a  former  Conference  on 
the  subject  of  compensation,  and  allowed  his  mode  of 
reasoning  to  pass  by  unnoticed,  it  was  in  part  because 
I  did  not  see  any  benefit  that  would  arise  from  my 
controverting  it  at  this  moment,  and  much  more  from 
reasons  which  I  shall  state  to  your  Lordship  in  a  separate 
despatch. 

Although  I  have  not  mentioned  M.  Maret's  name,  he 
acquiesced  in  everything  which  passed. 

I  have  the  honour  to  enclose  the  paper  I  sent  yesterday 
evening  to  the  French  Plenipotentiaries. 

The  return  of  the  courier  from  Paris  can  scarce  take 
place  under  five  days.  What  he  brings  must  be  import- 
ant, and  even  conclusive.  If  the  Directory  persist  in 
their  claim,  it  may  lead  to  an  immediate  breaking  up 
of  the  Negotiation :  if  they  give  way,  there  will,  I  hope. 


426  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [  1797- 

be  reasonable  grounds  to  expect  (though  many  difficulties 
will  still  remain)  that  it  will  proceed  in  a  way  to  make 
its  conclusion  such  as  may  not  be  deemed  unfavourable. 


(mCLOSURE.) 

NOTE    FROM    LORD    MALMESBURY    TO    THE    FREXCH 
PLENIPOTENTIARIES. 

A  Lille,  ce  24  Juillet,  1797. 

Le  Ministre  Plenipotentiaire  de  Sa  ]\Iajeste  Britannique 
a  fait  passer  a  sa  Cour  la  Note  qui  lui  a  ete  remise  le 
1.5  de  ce  mois  par  les  Ministres  Plenipotentiaires  de  la 
Republique  Fran9aise ;  et  ayant  re^u  les  ordres  du  Roi 
son  Maitre  h  ce  sujet,  il  s'erapresse  de  leur  reit6'er  par 
ecrit,  conformement  au  d6sir  qu'ils  lui  en  ont  temoign6, 
les  reflexions  suivantes,  qu'il  leur  a  deja  exposees  de  viva 
voix  d'apr^s  ses  instructions  les  plus  positives. 

II  observe  d  abord,  que  deniander,  comme  preliminaire 
indispensable  de  la  Negotiation  pour  la  Paix  avec  I'Angle- 
terre,  le  consentement  de  Sa  Majeste  Britannique  a  la 
restitution  de  toutes  les  possessions  qu'elle  occupe,  non 
seulement  sur  la  Republique  Fran(^aise,  mais  encore  et 
formellement  sur  I'Espagne  et  la  Republique  Batave,  c'est 
vouloir  etablir  une  condition  prealable,  qui  exclut  toute 
r6ciprocite,  refuse  au  Roi  toute  compensation,  et  ne 
laisse  aucun  objet  de  negotiation  ult^rieure. 

Que  la  Repul)lique  Fran^aise,  authorisee  par  ses  Allies 
a  n^gocier  en  leur  nom  et  formellement  les  articles  de  la 
paix,  ne  sauroit  opposer  ses  traites  j)artiels  avec  eux  k 
des  propositions  raisonnables,  puisqu'il  est  reconnu  que 
les  Parties  Contractantes  conservent  toujours  le  pouvoir  de 
modifier,  d'un  consentement  niutuel,  les  conditions  aux- 
quelles  elles  se  seront  respectivement  engagees,  toutes  les 
fois  .que  leurs  int^rets  communs  pourront  I'exiger;  par 
consequent  la  proposition  faite  au  Roi  d'une  restitution 
generale  et  gratuite,  comrae  preliminaire  indispensable, 
supposerait  necessairement  a  tSa  Majeste  Catholique  et 
a  la  Republique  Batave  des  dispositions  bien  nioins  paci- 
fiques  que  celles  qui  animent  la  Republique  Fran(^^aise. 


1797.]  LISLE.  427 

Que  d'ailleurs,  d'apres  ce  qui  s'est  passe  dans  les  premieres 
conferences,  le  Lord  jVIalmesburj  a  toujours  cru  devoir 
s'attendre  k  ce  que  le  Roi  son  Maitre  fut  compense  des 
sacrifices  qu'il  6tait  port6  a  faire  pour  la  paix,  par  la 
conservation  d'une  partie  de  ses  conquetes ;  et  il  pourroit 
d'autant  moins  prevoir  quelque  obstacle  a  Toccasion  des 
Articles  Secrets  des  Traites  qui  lient  la  Republique  Fran- 
^aise;  que  le  principe  de  compensation  fut  reconnu  par 
une  declaration  formelle  et  positive  faite  au  nom  du 
Directoire  Executif,  et  communiqute  dans  une  Note 
Olficielle  en  date  du  27  Novembre,  1796,  declaration 
posterieure  a  la  confection  de  ces  Traites. 

C'etait  done  a  fin  d'applanir  autant  que  possible  toutes 
les  difficultes,  que,  dans  le  projet  de  traite,  que  le  Lord 
Malmesbury  a  remis  aux  Ministres  Pleuipotentiaires  de  la 
Republique  Fran^aise,  on  laissa  a  la  France  Falteruative 
d'etablir  cette  compensation  sur  ses  propres  possessions, 
ou  sur  celles  de  ses  Allies ;  or  le  refus  absolu  de  cette 
alternative  parait  ^carter  le  seul  moyen  possible  de  conci- 
lier  tous  les  int^^ets,  et  d'arriver  a  une  paix  juste,  honor- 
able, et  permanente. 

Le  Lord  ]\Ialmesbury,  persuade  que  telle  qui  sauroit 
^tre  Fintention  du  Gouvernement  Fran^ais,  espere  d'apres 
les  raisons  qu'il  vient  de  leur  exposer,  qu'on  ne  continuera 
pas  a  insister  sur  une  condition  a  laquelle  Sa  Majeste 
Britannique  ne  pourra  aucunement  se  preter. 

II  prie  de  nouveau  les  Ministres  Pleuipotentiaires  de  la 
Republique  Fran^aise,  d'agreer,  &c. 

Malmesbury. 


LETTER  FROM  LORD  MALMESBURY  TO  LORD  GRENVILLE. 

Lisle,  25tli  July,  1797. 

I  COULD  have  wished  to  have  entered  in  this  private 
letter  into  a  long  and  accurate  detail  of  some  very 
material  communication  and  overtures,  which  have  within 
these  few  days  been  made  me  ;  but  as  I  cannot  do  it  in 
a  way  which  could  satisfy  you,  without  committing  the 
names  and  opinions  of  several  persons  to  a  very  dan- 


428  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [l797. 

gerous  extent,  I  shall  reserve  it  to  a  still  safer  oppor- 
tunity than  even  that  of  a  messenger,  and  this  I  tliink 
will  offer  itself  in  al)out  a  week,  when  the  business  will 
be  brought  probably  to  such  a  point  as  will  justify  my 
sending  over  Lord  G.  Leveson.  I  may,  perhaps,  be  over- 
cautious and  prudent ;  but,  besides  there  having  been 
instances  of  messengers  having  been  rifled,  I  am  a  little 
influenced  by  the  circumstance  of  the  paragraphs  which 
have  lately  appeared  in  our  papers  ;  and,  although  it 
would  be  most  unfair  to  say  I  could  fix  a  shadow  of 
suspicion  on  the  fidelity  of  any  of  the  King's  messengers, 
yet,  on  a  point  where  the  safety  of  other  persons,  not 
my  own,  is  so  materially  exposed,  I  have  no  right  to 
be  rash. 


LETTER    FROM    LORD    MALMESBURY    TO    MR.   TITT. 

Lisle,  Tuesday,  5  p.m.,  July  25th,  1797. 

My  dear  Sir, — If  I  were  compelled  to  give  an  opinion, 
I  should  say  that  the  French  will  give  way  in  the  present 
instance,  and  that  on  the  return  of  their  messenger  from 
Paris  the  Negotiation  will  be  resumed  on  grounds  not 
very  different  from  those  originally  proposed ;  as  I  myself 
am  fully  persuaded  that  its  fate  must  be  determined  by 
the  turn  things  take  at  Paris,  and  not  by  any  efiect  I  can 
produce  here.  I  hope  I  have  not  judged  improperly  in 
endeavouring  to  convey  strong  and  decided  sentiments  in 
temperate  and  even  civil  language.  If  we  are  sent  away 
abruptly,  the  contrast  will  be  the  more  striking,  and  if 
the  business  proceeds,  it  certainly  may  be  brought  to 
account. 

I  intended  to  have  explained,  in  this  private  letter, 
the  manner  in  which  I  obtained  the  materials  for  my 
separate  despatch ;  but  as  the  doing  it  in  a  way  at  all 
satisfactory,  must  necessarily  have  led  me  to  mention 
names,  &c.,  I  thought  it  better  to  delay  it  for  a  week, 
when  I  shall  have  a  fair  plea  for  sending  over  Leveson, 
to  wliose  correct  memory  I  can  venture  to  trust  as  safely 
as  to  a  letter.    There  is  indeed  little  risk  of  a  messenger 


1797.]  LISLE.  429 

being  stopped  and  rifled ;  but  such  things  have  happened 
in  France,  and  it  is  not  quite  fair  on  an  occasion  wlien 
the  danger  is  not  mine,  but  that  of  another  person,  to 
leave  anything  to  chance.  I  am  the  more  inclined  to 
give  way  to  this  motive,  since  I  know  you  to  be  already 
in  possession  of  some  information  on  this  subject ;  that 
you  will  receive  a  little  more  to-day  from  the  same  quar- 
ter ;  and  also  because  I  trust  you  will  give  me  credit  for 
not  proceeding  on  light  grounds,  or  for  being  likely  to 
listen  to  the  intelligence  of  idle  or  officious  informers. 

I  am  much  obliged  to  you  for  what  you  say  about 
Gibraltar.  I  have  all  the  old  prejudices  on  this  point, 
and  am  glad  to  perceive  that  you  also  partake  of 
them.  The  chief  reason  for  my  not  resisting  longer  the 
admission  of  the  principle  of  the  inviolability  of  the 
French  Republic  was  to  obtain  the  same  admission  with 
respect  to  us,  and  to  place  Gibraltar  by  that  means  be- 
yond the  reach  of  Negotiation. 

I  rather  wish  than  expect  that  the  inferior  points  of 
the  King's  title,  and  Toulon  ships,  may  be  overlooked 
when  we  begin  to  deliberate  on  more  important  ones; 
and  I  should  be  very  sorry  if,  under  this  expectation, 
we  should  neglect  to  l)e  prepared  to  meet  them. 

I  will  strain  every  nerve  to  obtain  a  contre-p7^ojH,  and 
have  reason  to  think  I  shall  succeed,  if  our  Negotiation 
survives  the  return  of  the  next  messenger  from  Paris. 

I  am,  &c.  Malmesbury. 


[Mr.  Canning  having  hinted  to  Mr.  Ellis  that  Lord 
Grenville  was  dissatisfied  with  Lord  Malmesbury's  ad- 
mission of  "  reciprocal  inalienability  of  territory,"  &c., 
Mr.  Ellis  defends  him  in  the  following  letter.] 

LETTER  FROM  MR.  ELLIS  TO  MR.  CANNING. 

Lisle,  July  25th,  1797. 

My  dear  Canning, — I  will  begin  by  a  very  short  an- 
swer to  your  few  words.     1st.  You  think,  or  rather  some 


430  DIARIES  AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [l797. 

persons  think,  that  "  the  reciprocal  inalienability  of  ter- 
ritory was  admitted  too  soon/' 

Now  the  first  answer  to  this  objection  is,  that  it  was 
reciprocal,  and  that  if  it  excluded  on  one  hand  all  J^ego- 
tiation  about  Martinique,  St.  Domingo,  &c.,  it  on  the 
other  hand  excluded  all  question  of  Gibraltar.  2nd.  It 
was  not  a  formal  admission  of  a  principle,  but  an  agree- 
ment for  mutual  convenience,  that  it  was  meant  to  save 
trouble  and  dispute,  and  that  it  has  done  so.  It  might 
have  been  an  excellent  subject  for  argument — I  dare  say 
the  French  Legation  would  have  been  unable  to  answer  us 
satisfactorily.  But  they  must  have  given  in  their  pro- 
posals about  Toulon  and  the  King's  title,  because  they 
were  ordered  to  do  so  by  the  Directory,  who  are  not  at 
all  disposed  to  listen  to  our  arguments,  and  not  much 
disposed  to  be  convinced  by  their  own  Legation. 

The  second  point  is,  that  "  the  second  messenger  was 
despatched  too  soon,  and  brought  the  proposition  of  the 
Directory  in  a  shape  in  which  it  was  the  most  difficult  to 
discuss  it."  But  was  it  not  of  some  importance  that  you 
should  receive  such  a  Note  as  soon  as  possible  1  Besides, 
what  was  there  to  discuss  ^ 

If  I  understood  Mr.  Pitt  right,  you  want  either  a  toler- 
ably good  peace,  or  the  most  unreasonable  requisitions. 
If  "the  Lion"  can  make  a  good  peace,  he  will  do  it,  and  he 
is  not  the  less  likely  to  do  so  from  having  complied  with 
the  desire  of  the  French  legation  by  sending  their  Note, 
with  all  its  absurdity  and  folly  on  its  back. 

Why  should  he  wish  to  send  it  ?  In  its  present  shape 
it  will  be  an  excuse  for  our  conduct  if  circumstances 
should  hereafter  enable  us  to  assume  a  higher  tone;  if 
otherwise,  by  receiving  it  temperately,  we  show  our  wish 
for  conciliation. 

"  The  Lion"  trusted  that  his  instructions  would  not 
be  altered,  and  that  the  Cabinet  would  not  be  bullied  ; 
but  suppose  they  had  wavered — was  it  his  duty  to  take 
the  responsibility  upon  himself?  But  instead  of  dwell- 
ing any  longer  on  argument,  I  must  now  come  to  my 
narration,  for  which  you  are  prepared  by  my  last  little 
note. 


1797.]  LISLE.  431 

I  then  only  spoke  doubtingly  about  my  informant ;"'' 
but  I  now  am  quite  sure  of  his  ability  and  dispositions. 
I  saw  him  the  day  after  the  messenger  went  away,  and 
he  then  assured  me,  on  the  part  of  Maret,  that  the  Note 
of  the  Directory  had  appeared  no  less  offensive  to  the 
French  Legation  than  to  us  :  that  even  Le  Tourneur  had 
expressed  the  most  violent  indignation  on  the  subject, 
and  that  they  had  sent  to  the  Ministre  des  Relations 
Exterieures  the  most  pointed  remonstrance  that  they 
could  venture  on  the  subject.  His  own  opinion  was, 
"  que  c'^tait  une  infamie  de  Charles  Delacroix/'  He 
added,  that  the  Directory  had  kept  Maret  five  days  at 
Paris  after  the  departure  of  Le  Tourneur  and  Pl^ville, 
with  a  view  of  giving  him  the  fullest  private  instructions, 
during  which  time  they  never  hinted  at  the  Secret  Arti- 
cles of  the  Spanish  or  Dutch  Treaties.  He  begged  me  to 
state  this  to  Lord  Malmesbury,  and  assure  him  that  the 
French  Legation  were  by  no  means  accessory  to  so  absurd 
and  childish  a  measure;  that  they  were  perfectly  sincere 
in  their  wishes  for  the  restoration  of  peace;  that  they 
adjured  him  to  palliate  the  measure  as  well  as  he  could  to 
his  Court,  &c. 

I  have  seen  him  often  since,  and  will  now  communicate 
to  you  generally  what  has  passed.  He  told  me,  that 
Maret  being  personally  known  to,  and  liked  by  Barras, 
was  promised  by  him,  as  well  as  by  Carnot  and  Bar- 
thelemi,  to  be  promoted  to  the  place  of  Alinister  of 
Foreign  Affairs  ;  Imt  that  knowing  Talleyrand  (the  Bishop 
of  Autun)  to  be  his  rival  for  that  place,  he  had  waited 
on  him  to  say,  that  his  wish  was  to  begin  by  some 
foreign  Mission,  that  he  should  prefer  London,  for  which 
his  appointment  to  the  Legation  at  Lisle  was  a  natural 
preparation,  and  that  he  would  willingly  quit  his  preten- 
sions to  the  Ministry,  if  he  (Talleyrand)  would  assist  him 
in  his  other  views.  My  informant  added,  that  Delacroix 
could  not  stay  in  long,  and  that  his  dismissal,  and 
the  nomination  of  the  Eveque  d' Autun,  (both  of  which 
have  since  happened,)  would  tend  very  much  to  further 
our  views.     He  said,  that  Le  Tourneur  was  so  dull  and 

*  M.  Pein. 


432  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [l797. 

obstinate,  that  Maret  found  it  very  difficult,  with  all  his 
address,  to  guide  him  right  ;  that  he  had  with  some 
trouble  managed  Pleville,  and  through  him  Le  Tourneur  ; 
but  that  Pleville's  appointment  to  the  Ministry  of  the 
Marine  would  be  very  inconvenient  to  him,  unless  he 
could  procure  the  appointment  of  Colchen  in  his  room. 
He  told  me  of  our  escape  in  not  being  saddled  with 
Charles  Delacroix,  who  was  upon  the  point  of  being 
named  to  this  place,  but  is  now  to  be  sent  to  the  Mission 
at  Basle,  From  him,  too,  I  learnt  the  news  of  the  Dutch 
fleet, — indeed  everything  you  will  find  in  Lord  Malmes- 
bury's  Despatch  on  the  subject  of  French  news,  comes 
from  him.  He  seemed  very  anxious  about  the  answer  to 
be  brought  by  our  courier,  and  begged  to  know  in  time 
what  that  answer  was,  in  order  that  Maret  might  be  pre- 
pared to  act  in  concert  with  us,  both  by  preparing  Le 
Tourneur  for  the  Conference,  and  by  making  the  earliest 
favourable  impression  in  Paris.  We  agreed  about  a  sign 
of  intelligence  by  which  Lord  ]\Ialmesbury  and  Maret 
might  understand  each  other  without  attracting  the  at- 
tention of  Le  Tourneur  and  Colchen. 

Immediately  after  the  Conference,  he  sent  to  beg  to  see 
me,  and  told  me  he  had  two  requests  to  make.  One  was, 
that  Lord  IMalmesbury  would  delay  sending  his  Note  to 
the  Legation  for  twenty-four  hours  ;  the  other  (which  I 
might  possil)ly  think  indiscreet),  that  I  would  communi- 
cate the  Official  Note  to  Maret  before  it  was  delivered. 
As  "  the  Lion "  had  by  this  time  ascertained  beyond  a 
doubt  the  truth  of  his  being  cora[)letely  in  Maret's  con- 
fidence, I  immediately  acceded  to  both,  and  received  the 
Official  Note  ])ack  from  him  this  morning.  He  read  to 
me  a  few  words  from  ]\Iaret  to  himself,  in  which  he  says, 
after  some  handsome  things  about  "  the  Lion,"  "  qu'il  n'y 
aura  plus  entre  eux,  d'autre  dispute  que  celle  de  franchise 
et  de  loyaut^."  He  then  put  into  my  hands  a  note  for 
Lord  Malmesbury,"'^  in  which  Maret  says,  that  in  conse- 
quence of  the  temper  with  which  the  note  is  written,  it 
cannot  but  do  good  ;  that  far  from  wishing  to  weaken 
any  part  of  it,  he  thinks,  if  Lord  Malmesbury  had  no 

*  Vide  p.  4.34. 


1797]  LISLE.  433 

personal  objection  to  it,  he  might  strengthen  it  still 
further  bj  a  reference  to  the  arrete  of  the  Directory  of 
27  November  last.  You  will  see  that  Lord  Malmesburj 
has  taken  the  hint  and  inserted  this  argument. 

He  then  said,  that  in  order  to  prove  to  me  that  he  had 
not  insisted  without  reason  on  the  necessity  of  delaying 
our  Note,  he  would  read  to  me  a  letter  which  Maret  had 
last  night  received  from  Barthelemi.  It  was  expressed 
very  nearly  in  these  words  : — 

"  J'ai  parle  hier  au  nouveau  Ministre  des  Relations 
Ext^rieures,  sur  I'afFaire  de  notre  ami  commun  Colchen, 
et  il  m'avoit  promis  de  proposer  aujourd'hui  au  Direc- 
toire  sa  nomination  a  la  place  vacante  dans  votre  Legation. 
11  n'en  a  cependant  rien  fait.  Je  ne  sais  pourquoi,  peut- 
etre  le  fera-t-il  demain. 

"  J'en  aurais  faitmoi-meme  la  proposition,  si  je  n'avais 
craint  de  vous  nuire.  Pleville,  graces  a  vos  soins,  me 
paroit  bien  dispos6  pour  la  paix,  mais  j'ai  de  fortes 
raisons  de  croire  qu'une  certaine  personne  revient,  on 
se  dispose  a  revenir  a  I'avis  de  ses  anciens  coUegiies. 
[The  certaine  personne  means  Le  Toumeur.]  J'ai  les 
plus  grandes  inquietudes  sur  I'absurde  obstacle  qu'on  a 
mis  en  avant  pour  retarder  la  paix,  c'est  a  dire  nos 
liaisons  envers  nos  Allies.  Comment,  avec  du  sens  com- 
mun, peut-on  insister  sur  un  raisonnement  aussi  absurde, 
dans  un  tems  ou  la  paix  nous  est  absolument  n^cessaire, 
et  ou  nous  sommes  surs  de  la  faire  glorieuse  ?  Cependant 
cela  est.  Vous  ne  sauriez  vous  figurer  la  jalousie,  les 
sottes  preventions  de  certaine  gens."  The  remainder  of 
the  letter  was  principally  on  private  business,  so  that  he 
did  not  read  it  to  me  ;  but  he  quoted  towards  the  end, — 
"  Nous  sommes  dans  une  crise  abominable,  mais  avec  le 
tems,  et  la  moderation  on  vient  a  bout  de  tout.  Pa- 
tientez,  je  vous  prie,  et  cherchez  s'il  est  possible  a  gagner 
du  temps."  I  looked  over  him  while  he  was  reading,  and 
the  subject  being  so  interesting,  I  can  venture  to  say, 
that  though  I  may  not  have  remembered  every  word,  I 
have  not  mis-stated  the  meaning  of  one  phrase.  Maret's 
letter  to  Barthelemi,  and  the  Eveque  d'Autun  will  reach 
Paris  to-night,  so  that  they  will  pave  the  way  for  our 

VOL.  III.  2    F 


434  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [1797- 

Note  ;  and  if  we  have  failed  in  making  that  Note  as  con- 
ciliatory as  a  direct  negative  could  be,  it  is  certainly  not 
from  want  of  pains  and  attention. 

Shall  we  be  sent  back  or  not  this  time  ?  Seriously, 
the  Directory  is  so  strange  a  body,  and  this  so  strange  a 
nation,  that  I  have  my  doubts,  and  yet  this  letter  surely 
contains  some  reasonaljle  grounds  of  hope.  Be  assured 
we  are  zealously  served.  Remember  this  letter  must  be 
kept  as  secret  as  the  last.  Ever,  &c.         G.  Ellis. 


SECRET  NOTE  FROM  M.  MARET,  SENT  THROUGH  M.  PEIN 
AND  MR.  ELLIS  TO  LORD  MALMESBURY. 

La  mesure  dans  laquelle  la  Note  est  con^ue  me  parait 
enti^rement  favorable  aux  int^rets  communs.  Non  seule- 
ment  il  ne  me  parait  aucunement  necessaire  de  I'aifoi- 
blir^  mais  je  crois  meme,  que  si  la  position  personelle  ne 
s'y  opposait  pas,  on  pourrait  tirer  quelque  avantage  de  la 
concession  faite  dans  la  Note  du  7  Frimaire  du  principe 
des  compensations.  II  est  Evident  que  si  Ton  ^tait  lie 
par  des  articles  secrets,  ce  principe  ne  pourrait  etre 
admis ;  et  que  si  Ton  a  pu  se  delier,  alors  on  le  pent 
encore  aujourd'liui.  II  reste  a  savoir  si,  traitant  sdpa- 
rement  avec  I'Angleterre,  on  a  pu  se  disposer  a  lui 
olFrir  en  compensation  les  conquetes  en  Italic.  Toutes 
les  autres  se  trouvaient  irrestituables  d'apres  la  consti- 
tution et  les  lois.  Si,  comme  on  pent  le  penser,  les  com- 
pensations, dont  le  principe  a  et^  convenu  le  7  Frimaire, 
portaient  sur  d'autres  objets,  ces  objets  n'^taient  que  des 
possessions  maritimes.     Done,  &c. 


A  FEW  hours  before  Mr.  Wesley  left  Lisle,  Mr.  Ellis  had 
another  interview  with  M.  Peiii.  M.  Fein  said,  that 
Maret  had  written  him  word  that  he  had  that  morn- 
ing received  private  letters  from  Paris,  containing  very 
favourable  intelligence.  Fein  believed  these  to  be  answers 
to  the  letters  written  by  Maret  to  prepare  liis  friends  at 
Faris  for  my  Note.     lie  said  he  did  not  think  it  likely 


1797.]  LISLE.  435 

that  the   official   answer  to  my  Note  would   arrive  at 
Lisle  before  Monday  or  Tuesday  ;  but  that  he  had  little 
doubt  of  its  being  such  as  would  enable  him  to  go  on  with 
the  Negotiation.    It  would  not  be  possible  for  him,  he  said, 
to  see  Claret  before  the  departure  of  Mr.  Wesley,  as  he  was 
gone  out  of  town,  and  was  not  to  return  till  the  next  day. 
He  then  told  Mr.  Ellis  that  an  article  had  appeared  in  one 
of  the  French  newspapers,  stating  that  Carnot  had  had  an 
interview  with  La  Reveilli^re  L6paux,  for  the  purpose  of 
endeavouring  to  bring  him  round  to  the  moderate  party. 
This,  he  said,  was  not  true  ;    that  it  was  Pichegru  who 
was  the  real  mediator  between   the  Moderns   and    the 
violent  part  of  the  Directory,  and  that  from  the  style  of 
Pichegru's  Pieport  to  the  Council  upon  the  conduct  of  the 
Executive    Power   in   having  ^dolated   the   constitution, 
which  Report  is  much  more  moderate  than  was  expected, 
it  is  probable  that  he  has  succeeded  in  bringing  about 
something    like   a   reconciliation.       It   seems    that   the 
Modere  party  in  the  Council,  though  generally  alarmed 
beyond  measure  at  the  Jacobins,  are  now  perfectly  fear- 
less under  Pichegru  ;  and  that  though  they  cannot  easily 
attack  the  authority  of  the  Directory  immediately,  they 
can  get  the  better  of  them  through  the  medium  of  the 
Ministers.      They    have  driven  out  Delacroix,  Truguet, 
and  very  lately  Le  Noir  La  Ptoche  ;    should  they  succeed 
against  Merlin,  which  seems  probable,  they  will  greatly 
diminish  the  preponderance   of  the  Jacobinical  part  of 
the  Executive  Power.     A  committee  is  at  this  moment 
framing  a  Pteport  on  the   CompatihUite  des  Ministres, 
and  they  are  passing  a  bill  for  the  purpose  of  reorganizing 
the  National  Guard,  which,  when  under  the  influence  or 
control  of  such  men  as  Pichegru,  will  become  a  most 
formidable  body,  entirely  devoted  to  the  moderate  party. 
It  should  seem,  from  all  these  circumstances,   that  the 
Directory,  divided  as  it  now  is,  must  grow  weaker  every 
day  ;  and  this  is  certainly  an  argument  in  favour  of  Pein's 
maxim,  that  everything  depends  on  gaining  time.    He  told 
Mr.  Ellis,  that  every  day  that  passed  over  our  heads  put 
us  upon  surer  ground,  and  that  it  is  impossiljle  for  the 
Directory  to  hold  out  much  longer  against  the  clamour 

2  F  2 


436  DIARIES  AND    CORRESPONDENCE.  [1*97- 

for  peace,  when  the  impracticability  of  furnishing  funds 
for  the  continuation  of  the  war  is  notorious  to  everybody. 


EXTRACTS  OF  A  LETTER  FROM  MR.  CANNING  TO  LORD 

MALMESBURY. 

Spring  Gardens,  27th  July,  1797. 

This  messenger  will  bring  you  but  very  little  ;  but  in 
such  a  state  of  things  you  cannot  expect  much  to  be  said 
on  this  side  of  the  water ;  we  have  talked  all  day  in  no- 
thing but  interjections  of  impatience,  doubt,  and  anxiety. 
I  thought,  however,  that  it  would  be  a  comfort  to  you  to 
have  as  quick  an  acknowledgment  (though  nothing  more) 
of  despatches  so  interesting,  as  possil^le.  Lord  Grenville 
agreed  without  hesitation,  because  he  can  with  the  safer 
conscience  get  out  of  town  again  (and  he  is  gone)  ;  and 
I,  that  there  may  be  no  unnecessary  delay  on  my  part, 
have  sworn  not  to  dine  till  I  have  despatched  Brooks. 

By  the  way,  I  must  not  omit,  at  a  time  when  secrecy 
and  discretion  are  so  much  in  request,  to  tell  you  that 
Brooks  has  conducted  himself  admirably  in  this  respect. 
The  first  intimation  that  I  had  of  his  arrival  to-day  was 
to  this  effect,  "  that  a  gentleman  was  come  in  a  hacknej- 
coach  to  the  next  door  (Lord  Malmesbury's),  and  the 
porter  wished  to  know  if  I  could  come  and  speak  to  him 
there."  I  obeyed,  went  through  the  garden,  and  saw 
Brooks,  silent  as  a  ghost,  gliding  by  the  bow-window. 
Our  meeting  may  be  better  imagined  than  described ; 
and  I  assure  you,  it  is  from  prudence  and  management  on 
this  occasion,  not  from  any  corrupt  view  to  the  tributary 
turbots  which  he  never  fails  to  bring  me,  that  I  send 
him  back  to  you,  instead  of  the  messenger  next  in  turn. 

Our  plans  of  secrecy  here  have  not  been  very  auspici- 
ously begun,  as  you  will  see  in  my  letter  to  IMorpeth,  but 
I  trust  we  shall  be  less  unlucky  another  time.  They 
have  had  one  effect,  however,  not  very  pleasant  personally 
to  me,  which  is  the  procuring  me  the  reputation  of  stock- 
jobbing. I  have  traced  a  report  of  tin's  sort  up  to 
Mr.  Perry,  of  the  Morning  Chronicle,  and  have  sent  him 


1797.]  LISLE.  437 

a  civil  message  in  consequence,  importing,  that  if  he 
should  think  proper  to  print  what  I  understand  he  has 
not  scrupled  to  saj,  I  shall  certainly  prosecute  him. 

I  congratulate  you  upon  having  escaped  the  meeting 
with  Ch.  Delacroix,  which  the  French  papers  had  pro- 
mised you.  It  was  a  sort  of  practical  epigram,  which  I 
thought  the  Directory  would  have  felt  themselves  strongly 
tempted  to  play  oif  upon  you.  You  say  nothing  of  his 
successor. 


LETTER   FROM    MR.    CANNING   TO    MR.    ELLIS. 

Spring  Gardens,  July  27,  1797. 

I  CRY  you  mercy,  dear  George.  If  I  had  understood 
the  admission  of  the  "  inalienability  "  to  have  been  given 
in  the  way  in  which  you  now  represent  it,  or,  to  speak 
quite  plainly,  if  "  the  Lion"  had  so  represented  it  in  his 
despatch,  I  should  never  have  lifted  up  my  voice,  even 
in  a  7nost  private  letter,  against  it :  an  admission,  not 
of  the  principle  itself,  but  of  its  result  and  application 
only,  and  a  compensation  for  that  admission  by  a  similar 
forbearance  on  the  part  of  the  enemy  with  regard  to 
whatever  we  conceived  (rightly  or  wrongly)  to  be  an- 
nexed, inalienable  with  regard  to  ourselves  ; — voild,  the 
only  points  which  I  meant  to  say  should  have  been 
contended  for  and  made  clear  to  both  parties.  You  say 
they  were  so  ;  I  have  only  to  answer,  that  then  I  think 
"the  Lion"  did  not  quite  do  himself  justice  in  the 
despatch  which  described  what  he  had  been  doing  in  this 
respect.  With  regard  to  the  second  point,  the  moment 
at  which  the  reference  was  made  here,  you  must  be  much 
better  judges  than  we  can  be  ;  and,  till  I  see  the  whole 
chain,  I  will  not  pretend  to  count  the  links  of  it.  You 
will,  however,  have  understood,  that  what  I  said  upon 
that  point  belonged  rather  to  the  state  of  things  he?'e 
than  that  at  Lisle — to  the  triumph  procured  by  the  par- 
ticular discussion  to  those  whom  I  wish  not  to  triumph, 
over  those  whom  I  wish  to  maintain  an  ascendancy,  whirli 
they  have  so  recently  obtained,  and  of  which  I  am  not 


438  DIARIES  AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [l797. 

yet  sure  that  they  have  more  than  a  precarious  and 
temporary  possession  ;  and,  upon  my  conscience,  I  believe 
the  safety  and  welfare  of  the  country  hereafter  to  be  in- 
volved in  their  maintenance  and  exercise  of  this  ascend- 
ancy. And,  though  I  am  not  so  unreasonable  as  to  wish 
or  expect  that  the  great  work  about  which  you  are 
employed  can  be  squared  in  the  whole,  or  altogether  in 
any  one  part,  with  a  view  to  circumstances  of  this  nature 
at  home,  yet  I  do  not  think  it  an  inconsiderable  object  to 
soften  as  much  as  can  be  done  without  hazarding  truth 
and  substance,  the  roughnesses  of  the  work  to  be  done 
here  to  those  who  are  determined  to  go  through  with 
it  ;  and  to  give  as  little  opportunity  as  can  be  helped 
to  those  who  hate  the  work  to  revile  the  master  work- 
man.'"" 

If  I  write  enigmatically,  you  must  blame  yourself,  for 
all  that  has  come  from  you  to-day  is  so  full  of  doubt  and 
difficulty,  that  I  hardly  venture  to  speak  or  think  posi- 
tively upon  any  one  subject  connected  with  it. 

"  The  Lion"  mentions  slightly  his  having  been  indis- 
posed. I  hope  this  is  not  really  so.  I  think  if  it  had 
been  you  would,  some  of  you,  have  mentioned  it.  Pray 
do  in  your  next.     Adieu.  Ever  yours,         G.  C. 


LETTER    FROM    MR.    CANNING    TO    MR.    ELLIS. 

Spring  Gardens,  27th  July,  1797,  f  p.  9,  p.m. 

My  dear  George, — Never  was  so  tantalizing  a  begin- 
ning of  a  letter  as  that  which  I  received  from  you  to-day. 
It  is  well  for  me  that  I  have  fatigued  myself  as  I  have 
done  in  preparing  matters  for  Brooks's  return.  I  should 
else  pass  a  sleepless  night  in  ruminating  upon  all  the 
impossibilities  and  extravagances  which  an  imagination 

*  Mr.  Canning'  licro  alludes  to  tlie  difference  of  opinion  between  Mr. 
Pitt  and  Lord  Grenville  on  the  question  of  Lord  Malniesbury's  negotiation 
for  peace.  As  Lord  Grenville  believed  and  argued  that  it  could  not  be 
obtained  upon  terms  honourablf  to  Eiiirland,  evcrv  liiteli  at  Lisle  eonfirmed 
this  idea,  and  furnislu'd  him  witli  an  argument  against  Pitt  ;  and  Mr.  Can- 
ning, who  was  devoted  to  the  latter,  was  anxious  to  prevent  this  as  much  as 
possible. 


1797.]  LISLE.  439 

thrown  loose  into  such  a  wilderness  of  conjecture  would 
conjure  up.  As  it  is,  being  very  tired,  and  having  to 
dine  before  I  sleep,  I  think  I  shall  contrive  to  sleep 
soundlv. 

You  have  alarmed  me  so  much  by  your  caution  with 
respect  to  what  you  write,  that  I  hardly  know  whether 
I  can  venture  to  communicate  all  that  I  have  heard  from 
different  quarters  which  I  think  might  be  of  use  to  you ; 
but  as  I  can  quote  no  authority,  I  compromise  nobody. 

I  shall  therefore  tell  you  without  scruple,  first,  that 
what  I  mentioned  in  my  former  letter  of  Barthelemi's 
speculations  in  the  funds,  has  been  confirmed  to  me  since, 
in  a  manner  that  very  much  persuades  me  of  the  truth  of 
that  circumstance. 

Secondly.  That  we  have  what  we  think  here  good 
reason  to  believe  that  Maret  has  a  commission  separate 
from  his  colleagues,  (I  know  not  whether  from  Dutch  or 
French  authority,)  to  treat  for  the  surrender  of  the  Cape 
for  a  sum  of  money.  Thirdly.  That  the  inclosed  is  a 
copy  of  a  letter  from  Paris  to  Bobus  Smith,"""  written  the 
day  after  Talleyrand's  nomination,  and  the  first  part  of 
the  contents  of  which,  but  not  the  letter  itself,  Bobus  has 
since  communicated  to  me.  Talleyrand,  you  may  not 
know,  perhaps,  has  been  always  a  great  friend  of  Bobus's, 
and  of  mine,  since  I  went  to  j\Ir.  Pitt  some  years  ago,  at 
Smith's  desire,  to  endeavour  to  obtain  a  remission  of  his 
sentence  of  exile.  You  may  guess  how  I  got  the  copy  of 
the  letter,  but  must  not  say. 

In  addition  to  this  information  of  a  foreign  kind,  1 
may  add  with  still  more  safety  that  we  are  all  well  at 
home ;  that  the  mutiny  is  remembered  only  by  the 
hangings  that  are  still  going  on ;  that  Ireland  is  much 
better  than  it  has  been  ;  that  there  is  a  man  in  the 
Strand  who  has  written  stump  legs  over  his  door,  which  I 
will  take  Dr.  Leg  to  see  when  he  comes  to  town,  and  that 
the  Corresponding  Societies  are  to  assemble  at  different 
places  all  over  England  on  Monday  next,  for  the  purpose 

*  This  letter  I  do  not  find  among  the  Harris  Papers,  although  a  subse- 
fjucnt  one  from  Talleyrand  to  Bobus  Smith  is  extant. 


440  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [l797. 

of  stirring   up  sedition,   and   that  the  Yeomanry  Corps 
throughout  the  kingdom  are  appointed  to  meet  them. 
Now  to  seal  up  my  letters  and  then  to  dinner. 

Ever,  my  dear  George,  &c.  G.  0. 


LETTER    FROM    MARET,    SENT    THROUGH    M.    PEIN    TO    LORD 

MALMESBURY. 

Lille,  31  Juillet. 

Un  courier  adress^  a  une  seule  personne,"'  et  apportant 
des  dep^ches  pour  elle  seule,  arrive  a  I'instant.  Elles 
font  pressentir  que  des  sentimens  d'honneur  ne  permet- 
tront  pas  de  revenir  sur  la  mesure  ant^rieure.  II  ne 
reste  done  a  cet  ^gard  que  tres  peu  d'esp6rance  de 
changement  dans  I'etat  present  des  choses.  Un  r^- 
sultat  plus  heureux  d^pendra  uniquement  des  interits 
7noi7is  directs.-\  La  personne  qui  a  re9u  le  courier  est 
autorise  a  faire  par  ecrit  les  communications  necessaires 
pour  amener  a  des  dispositions  plus  facile  sur  ces  interets 
moins  directs.  Elle  se  propose  d'exp^dier  cette  nuit  un 
courier  vers  les  lieux  d'ou  doivent  etre  adress^es  les  in- 
tentions des  co-interess^es,  dont  les  agents  doivent  bien- 
tot  se  rendre  a  Paris  a  fin  d'influer  utilement  sur  les 
instructions  qui  leur  seront  remises,  et  auxquelles  tient 
tout  espoir  d'accommodement.  II  serait  sans  doute 
precieux  de  connaitre  les  bornes,  dans  lesquelles  pour- 
raient  etre  restreints  les  pretentions  enoncees  contre 
eux.  On  concevra  qu'en  sollicitant  des  indications  d'une 
nature  aussi  grave,  aussi  confidentielle,  on  ne  pent  avoir 
d'autre  but  que  de  favoriser  ce  desir  reciproque  de 
succes,  et  d'autres  regies  de  conduite  que  celles  que 
doit  prescrire  la  plus  prudente  reserve.  Ce  qui  serait 
confie  servirait  uniquement  de  direction  dans  les  efforts 
qui  vont  etre  faits  pr^s  des  co- interess6es,  et  aucuue  per- 
sonne qu'clle  ne  serait  initi^e  dans  ces  details  de  pure  et 
d'entiere  confiance.  On  reclame  ^galement  dans  les  rap- 
ports a  faire  a  qui  que  ce  soit,  I'oubli  absolu  de  la  com- 
munication prcsente  offerte  comme  un  temoignage  de  la 
plus  veritable  estimc. 

*  To  Marct.  t  'llic  Allies  of  France. 


1797.J  LISLE.  441 

REPLY    FROM    LORD    MALMESBURY    TO    M.    PEIN. 

Lille,  31  Juillet,  1797. 

On  regarde  le  Billet  remis  comme  une  preuve  ^gale- 
ment  loyale  et  obligeaute  cles  sentiraens  de  la  personne 
qui  I'a  ecrite,  et  on  se  fait  un  plaisir  d'j  r^pondre  dans 
le  m^me  sens.  On  voit  avec  chagrin  d^pendre  le  seul 
espoir  de  succ^s  d'un  rapprochement  d'int^rets  aussi 
difficiles,  pour  ne  pas  dire  impossibles,  a  concilier.  On 
assure  bien  sincerement  que  les  instructions  sont  posi- 
tives. Tout  ce  qu'on  pent  faire  c'est  de  promettre 
d'employer  toute  son  influence  personelle  pour  se  pro- 
curer la  permission  de  co-op6rer  avec  I'auteur  du  Billet, 
en  obtenant,  s'il  est  possible,  quelques  modifications  pour 
les  interets  moins  directs.  En  attendant,  pour  repondre 
a  une  confidence  dont  on  ressent  tout  le  prix  (et  comp- 
tant  sur  le  meme  secret  qu'on  promet  a  son  tour)  on 
n'h^site  pas  de  dire  qu'on  recevra  sans  diflEicult6  toute 
proposition  de  cette  nature,  et  meme  qu'on  I'appujera 
en  autant  que  cela  est  compatible  avec  son  devoir. 


July  31. — Everything  in  suspense  till  this  day.  A 
courier  arrives  from  Paris — Directory  not  likely  to  depart 
from  their  strong  claim.  A  biais  to  be  found  by  apply- 
ing to  the  Dutch  to  release  the  French  from  their  engage- 
ments— this  communicated  confidentially  by  Maret.  It 
is  evident  that  on  one  side  the  Democratic  Government, 
(at  least  the  three  governing  Directors,)  either  from 
pride,  from  bad  policy,  or  from  what  they  suppose  to 
be  their  oivn  interest,  are  not  ivell  inclined  to  peace  ; 
that  they  think  the  idea  of  maintaining  good  faith 
with  their  Allies,  and  employing  strong  and  high  words, 
will  popularize  the  duration  of  the  war.  On  the  other 
side,  the  other  two  Directors,  the  new  Minister  Talley- 
rand, and  many  others,  wish  for  peace,  perhaps  nearly 
from  similar  motives  ;  and  this  will  account  for  such  a 
wide  difierence  between  the  official  language  I  hear,  and 
that  held  by  Maret  and  his  agents.     I  did  not  think  it 


442  DIARIES  AND  CORRESPONDENCE.  [l797. 

safe  to  trust  a  minute  detail  of  this  in  writing,  even  by  a 
messenger,  and  only  hinted  at  it  in  private  letters  to 
Pitt  and  Lord  Grenville,  by  Brooks,  whom  I  despatched 
on  the  25th  of  July,  and  sent  the  particulars  by  Wesley 
on  the  30th. 

The  result  of  these  secret  conferences  and  communi- 
cations appears  to  be  a  desire  on  the  part  of  Maret,  that 
the  business  should  end  well — an  appearance  of  sincerity 
from  his  manner  and  from  the  nature  of  his  communica- 
tion. It  seems  also  to  be  his  interest  (at  least  his  per- 
sonal interest)  to  act  as  he  does. 


Tuesday,  Aug.  1. — I  pressed  Ellis,  before  he  saw  Peiu, 
to  urge  the  necessity  that  their  public  and  official  conduct 
should  correspond  with  their  private  and  confidential 
communications  ;  that,  otherwise,  they  could  neither  be 
credited  nor  made  use  of.  Pein  said  this  was  certainly 
difficult,  but  that  Maret  would  contrive  it. — (N.B.  I  have 
my  doubts  of  the  sincerity  of  all  this,  and  suspect  they 
are  lying  by  for  events,  particularly  for  the  signature  of 
the  Definitive  Treaty  with  the  Emperor ;  but  as  ice  also 
may  gain  by  delay,  we  are,  perhaps,  only  playing  off  each 
other.) 

Things  at  Paris  appear  to  l^e  compromised.  Pein  as- 
sured Ellis  that  the  great  stumbling-block  was  Holland  ; 
that  they  could  manage  Spain,  and  were  indifferent  as  to 
Portugal ;  and  gave  for  reason,  the  Dutch  owed  France 
money,  and  that  this  pr"bably  would  not  be  paid  if  tlie 
entirety  of  the  Dutch  Republic  was  violated  at  the  peace. 
He  seemed  to  hint,  if  we  would  give  up  the  Cape,  peace 
would  be  made  immediately. 


Aug.  2. — Ellis,  at  my  instigation,  pressed  the  necessity 
of  a  contre-projH — but  this  not  likely.  It  is  evident  that 
the  whole  depends  on  getting  rid  of  the  Directors,  or,  at 
least,  on  getting  one'^  of  them  out. 

Aug.  4. — G.  Ellis  sent  for  bv  Pein  at  1 1  a.m.,  who  in- 

*  So  as  to  give  the  casting  vote  to  the  Moderate  section. 


1797.]  LISLE.  443 

formed  him  letters  and  instructions  were  arrived — favour- 
able, particularly  one  from  Talleyrand  to  Maret  —  an- 
nounced a  Conference  in  wliicli  I  was  to  hear  officially, 
what  he  had  told  me  ex-officially,  about  the  Allies  being 
applied  to,  &c.  N.B.  This  did  not  happen  at  the  Confe- 
rence, on  which,  August  5th,  Saturday,  Ellis  met  him  again. 
He  explained  it  by  saying,  that  when  he  had  seen  him 
on  the  4th,  the  public  instructions  had  not  been  read ; 
that  they  were  not  thought  sufficient  by  Le  Tourneur  to 
authorize  him  and  them  to  speak  out;  and  on  August  6th, 
just  as  I  was  despatching  Lord  G.  Leveson,  a  note  came 
from  ]\Iaret. — N.B.  For  the  details  of  this,  see  the  private 
accounts  of  each  conversation  between  Ellis  and  Pein. 

N.B.  Lord  G.  Leveson  carried  all  this  private  communi- 
cation to  England  on  the  6th  August.  Ellis  saw  Pein 
again  on  the  10th,  12th,  and  14th.  He  communicated 
the  Portuguese  Treaty  with  France. 


EXTRACT    OF    A   DESPATCH   FROxM    LORD    MALMESBURY   TO 
LORD    GRENVILLE. 

Lisle,  6th  Aug.,  1797. 

Ix  the  Conference  of  Friday,  M.  Maret  expressed  a 
desire  to  obtain  tlie  exchange  or  release  of  a  relation, 
prisoner  in  England,  This  gave  me  an  opportunity  to 
mention  Sir  Sidney  Smith,  and  to  state  to  the  French 
Plenipotentiaries,  that  it  was  because  their  government 
persisted  in  his  detention,  that  no  exchange  whatsoever 
of  officers  had  taken  place,  and  that  I  was  afraid  none 
would  be  listened  to  on  our  part,  till  they  thought  proper 
to  consent  to  the  release  of  him.  I  addressed  myself 
particularly  to  W.  Le  Tourneur,  who,  I  observed,  must  be 
acquainted  with  the  circumstances  of  the  case  from  the 
several  conversations  I  had  held  with  Vi.  Delacroix,  and 
from  the  Memorials  I  had  presented,  and  which  certainly 
had  been  laid  before  him  in  his  capacity  of  Director. 

M.  Le  Tourneur  appeared  to  have  a  very  imperfect 
recollection  of  the  subject,  and  said  he  now  heard  for  the 
first  time  that  it  was  on  the  account  of  Sir  Sidney's  con- 


444  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE,  [l797. 

finement  that  tlie  cartel  had  been  stopped.  He  observed, 
this  was  indeed  a  very  serious  consideration,  and  one 
which  deserved  the  greatest  attention.  This  induced  me 
to  enter  very  fully  into  Sir  Sidney's  case,  situation,  and 
treatment,  and  the  great  inconveniences  to  which  it  led ; 
and  it  made  so  much  impression  on  M.  Le  Tourneur, 
that  he  promised  me  he  would  write  immediately  to 
Paris  to  one  of  his  friends  in  the  Directory,  and  also  to 
M.  Pleville,  and  that  he  would  endeavour  to  make  them 
feel  how  unwise  and  unjust  it  was  to  keep  so  many  per- 
sons in  confinement  on  account  of  a  single  man,  let  his 
conduct  even  have  been  such  as  to  call  in  doubt  his 
right  to  be  treated  as  a  prisoner  of  war,  which  he  was 
told  was  Sir  Sidney's  case. 


EXTRACT    OF    A    DESPATCH    FROM    LORD    MALMESBURY    TO 

LORD  GRENVILLE. 

Lisle,  6th  Aug.,  1797. 

I  FULLY  expected,  when  I  received  the  enclosed  note  '" 
on  Friday,  that  the  Conference  proposed  was  to  acquaint 
me  with  the  instructions  the  French  Plenipotentiaries  had 
received  from  the  Directory,  on  the  Note  I  had  given  in 
near  a  fortnight  ago,  as  an  answer  to  that  in  which  the 
restitution  of  the  whole  of  Ilis  Majesty's  conquests  from 
each  of  his  enemies  is  required  as  an  indispensable  preli- 
minary to  all  Negotiation. 

I  was  therefore  surprised  and  disappointed,  when  I  had 
taken  my  place  at  the  Conference,  to  hear  from  U.  Le 
Tourneur  that  the  letters  they  had  received  that  morning 
from  Paris  did  not  bring  any  specific  reply  to  my  last 
Note,  but  only  went  to  inform  them  that  the  Directory 
had  taken  the  subject  into  their  most  serious  considera- 
tion, and  would  acquaint  them,  as  soon  as  possible,  with 
the  rcsult.4 


*   Inviting  r.ord  Malniosbury  to  a  Conference  on  the  4tli  inst. 

f  This  despatch  is  a  decisive  \nooi'  (if  such  were  wanting)  that  tlie  clmrgc 
of  wilful  procrastination,  inii)utcd  to  us  by  the  Directory  and  subsequent 
French  historians,  is  uatnie. 


1797.]  LISLE.  445 

I  could  not  avoid  expressing  my  concern  and  surprise 
that  there  existed  any  hesitation  whatever  in  the  mind 
of  the  Directory,  on  a  point  which,  although  very  import- 
ant, was  a  very  simple  one — that  of  allowing  it  to  remain 
in  doubt  whether  the  Directory  sincerely  meant  peace  or 
not.  And  that  although  I  was  very  far  from  wishing  for 
any  improper  haste,  or  not  to  move  in  a  matter  of  such 
magnitude  with  becoming  prudence  and  deliberation  ; 
yet  I  could  not  forbear  lamenting,  that  more  than  a 
month  had  now  elapsed  without  our  having  advanced  a 
single  step,  notwithstanding  His  Majesty  had  in  the  very 
outset  of  the  Negotiation  manifested  a  moderation  and 
forbearance  unprecedented  under  similar  circumstances. 
That  anxious  as  I  was  not  to  prejudice  it  by  any  repre- 
sentations of  mine,  I  must  say  this  delay  placed  me  in  a 
very  awkward  position,  as  I  really  did  not  perceive  how  I 
could  account  for  it  in  a  way  at  all  satisfactory,  at  the 
same  time  that  it  was  quite  impossible  for  me  to  suifer  a 
longer  space  of  time  to  pass  over  without  writing  to 
my  Court. 

M.  JMaret  expressed  his  earnest  wish  that  I  would  write 
immediately  ;  he  was  confident  this  delay  would  be  seen 
in  its  true  light,  and  added,  "  Si  nous  n'avan(^-ons  pas  a 
pas  de  g^ant,  j'espere  que  nous  marchons  d'un  pas  sur  ;" 
and  M.  Le  Tourneur  repeated  the  phrase. 

They  observed  to  me  that  the  contre-projH  would  of 
course  be  contained  (virtually)  in  their  next  instructions, 
and  that  their  only  motive  for  wishing  to  see  me  was  to 
convince  me  that  this  delay  had  neither  originated  with 
them,  nor  been  occasioned  at  Paris  by  any  want  of  atten- 
tion to  this  important  business,  or  from  any  cause  not 
immediately  and  closely  connected  with  it. 

I  desired  to  know  from  them  when  they  thouglit  it 
probable  they  should  receive  positive  and  explicit  instruc- 
tions, whether  in  three,  four,  or  five  days  ?  M.  Colchen 
said  it  would  probably  be  eight  or  ten.''-      On  that  M.  Le 

*  The  real  causes  of  this  delay  were  the  state  of  affairs  in  Paris,  and 
the  divided  opinions  of  the  Directory. 

Carnot   et   Bartlielcnii   votaient  pour  qu'on  acceptat   les    conditions    do 

I'Anoleterre,  les  trois  autres   Directeurs  soutenaient  I'opinion    contraire. 

Thiers,  tom.  vi. 


446  DIARIES  AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [l797. 

Tourneur  observed,  that  as  our  not  meeting  more  fre- 
quently gave  rise  to  many  idle  rumours  and  false  reports, 
he  would  propose  to  me,  if  I  had  no  objection,  to  meet 
every  other  day  at  2  o'clock  ;  that  it  was  very  possible 
that  in  our  next  two  or  three  meetings  we  might  have 
nothing  material  to  say,  but  that  we  should  get  better 
acquainted  with  each  other,  and  in  our  conversations 
mutually  suggest  ideas  which  might  be  of  use. 

I  readily  consented  to  this ;  and  we  were  breaking  up, 
when  M.  Maret  said,  that  an  additional  cause  for  the 
slowness  with  which  the  business  had  proceeded,  arose 
from  the  appointment  of  a  new  JMinister  to  the  Foreign 
Department  ;  that  M.  Delacroix  had  not  yet  had  time 
to  give  his  papers  up  to  M.  Talleyrand,  and  that  the  con- 
fusion in  the  office  from  the  change  of  clerks,  &c.,  was 
such,  that  the  business  did  not  go  on  so  quickly  and  so 
regularly  as  it  ought.  He  seemed  to  have  introduced 
this  circumstance  with  a  view  to  speak  in  terms  of  high 
commendation  of  M.  Talleyrand,  and  to  sneer  at  M. 
Delacroix. 

I  had  a  conference  again  this  morning,  as  I  was  very 
desirous  of  being  enabled  to  transmit  to  your  Lordship 
some  more  satisfactory  account  as  to  the  motives  of  this 
delay.  I  again  pressed  the  Frencli  Plenipotentiaries  on 
this  point.  They  each  of  them  repeated  what  they  had 
said  before,  and  on  my  applying  particularly  to  M.  Le 
Tourneur,  and  endeavoiu'ing  to  make  him  feel  how  impos- 
siljle  it  was  that  Ilis  ]\lajesty  should  not  be  hurt  at  this 
demur  on  so  very  simple  a  point,  he  said,  "  You  ought  to 
augur  favourably  from  it.  Your  Note  was  a  refusal  to 
agree  to  what  was  stated  by  the  Directory  in  their 
instructions  to  us,  as  a  sine  qua  non.  If  the  Directory 
were  determined  to  persist  in  this  sine  qua  non,  they 
would  have  said  so  at  once."  "  Je  vous  assure  qu'il  nous 
auroit  promptement  renvoye  le  courier,"  were  his  Avords  ; 
the  time  they  take  to  deliberate  indicates  beyond  a  doubt 
that  they  are  looking  for  some  "  temperament,"  and  it 
scarce  can  be  doul)ted  that  one  will  be  found.  I  said  I 
was  well  pleased  to  hear  liim  say  this,  but  that  still  lie 
must  be  aware  that  it  would  not  be  an  easy  task  for 


1797.]  LISLE.  447 

me  to  make  my  despatches  to-claj  either  interesting  or 
satisfactory. 

JM.  Maret  said  that  he  really  believed  that  this  would 
be  the  only  great  impediment  we  should  have  to  encoun- 
ter, that  everything  would  go  on  quickly  and  smoothly, 
and  that  I  must  admit  the  present  to  be  a  very  important 
and  difficult  point  in  the  Negotiation.  I  agreed  with  him 
entirely  as  to  its  importance,  but  could  not  acquiesce  as 
to  its  difficultv. 

I  am  very  sorry,  my  Lord,  that  in  such  a  moment,  and 
after  waiting  so  long,  I  should  not  be  able  to  send  you 
more  explicit  and  decisive  assurances  ;  but  it  is  not  in  my 
power  to  compel  the  French  Negotiators  to  move  on 
faster.  All  I  can  do  is,  by  my  conduct  and  language,  to 
take  care  that  no  part  whatever  of  the  imputation  of 
delay  should  attach  to  me.  I  have  at  every  Conference 
always  declared  my  readiness  to  proceed,  and  I  shall  not 
fail  to  repeat  this  every  time  we  meet. 


LETTER    FROJ*   LORD    MALMESBURY   TO    LORD    GRENVILLE. 

Lisle,  Sunday,  Aug.  6th,  1797. 

My  dear  Lord, — Mr.  Wesley  will  have  acquainted 
you  with  the  secret  channel  of  communication  that  has 
been  opened  here,  and  with  such  information  as  I  had 
derived  through  it,  up  to  the  day  of  his  leaving  Lisle. 
Since  then  still  more  material  intelligence  has  come  to 
my  knowledge,  and  the  same  motive  which  induced  me  to 
employ  Mr.  Wesley,  determines  me  now  to  send  Lord  G. 
Leveson  to  England.  I  have  no  doubt  you  found  Mr. 
Wesley  exact  and  accurate  ;  you  will,  I  am  sure,  find  Lord 
Granville  equally  so  ;  and,  besides  the  advantage  this 
mode  of  communication  has  over  all  others  in  point  of 
secrecy  and  safety,  you  derive  from  it  the  power  of  ques- 
tion and  inquiry,  which  for  my  own  satisfaction  and  com- 
fort is  one  that  I  am  very  desirous  of  affording  you,  since 
what  is  now  passing  ex-officially,  is  so  much  more  impor- 
tant than  what  passes  offi^ciaUy,  that  I  do  not  feel  at  all 


448  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [1797. 

justified  in  acting  upon  it  on  my  own  judgment,  and  am 
very  anxious  to  have  it  stated  so  correctly,  and  examined 
so  carefully,  that  its  real  value  may  be  ascertained,  and 
Lord  Granville  bring  me  back  orders  in  consequence. 

Had  I  no  other  grounds  at  this  moment  to  form  an 
opinion  but  the  conduct  of  the  Directory,  I  should  look 
upon  the  Negotiation  as  in  a  very  precarious  state,  and 
apprehend  its  breaking  up  to  be  a  very  near  event.  But 
if  what  I  hear  from  this  secret  quarter  can  be  relied  on, 
I  must  hold  a  contrary  belief.  I  must  suppose  the 
French  will  contend  only  for  forms,  and  give  way  in  sub- 
stance, and  that  they  will  affect  to  perform  their  engage- 
ments (real  or  supposed)  in  appearance,  but  break  them 
in  fact. 

It  required  no  great  art  to  see  through  the  object  of 
Maret's  Note  of  the  31st  of  July.  I  hope  my  answer  will 
be  thought  sufficiently  guarded,  and  at  the  same  time  ex- 
plicit enough  to  encourage  him  to  continue  his  communi- 
cations ;  at  all  events,  it  is  to  be  recollected  that  the  ori- 
ginals of  both  our  Notes  are  restored,  and  that  they  never 
can  be  produced. 

It  is  clear  from  what  Maret  writes,  that  if  the  Direc- 
tory wish  to  make  peace  at  all,  it  is  at  the  expense  of 
their  Allies,  and  from  the  step  they  have  taken,  they  pro- 
bably are  in  earnest.  If  this  should  be  the  case,  (which 
must  shortly  appear,)  the  Negotiation  will  soon  be  brought 
to  a  discussion  of  the  more  or  less  we  are  to  keep  from 
the  Dutch,  since,  (if  what  is  told  us  could  be  credited,)  the 
interests  of  Spain  and  Portugal  will  not  throw  any  great 
obstacles  in  the  way  of  the  Treaty  ;  but  this  is  so  con- 
trary to  the  conduct  observed  by  the  Directory  during 
their  last  negotiation  with  the  Court  of  Lisbon,  that  I 
fear,  on  this  particular  point,  our  informant  is  either 
not  trusted  or  not  sincere. 

From  everything  you  read  and  hear  to-day,  you  will,  I 
am  sure,  be  confirmed  in  your  opinion,  that  on  the 
upshot  of  the  present  contest  at  Paris  depends  the  fate 
of  the  Treaty ;  that  it  cannot  possibly  be  forced  on  here 
by  any  means  in  my  power,  and  that  the  best  and  only 
line  of  conduct  I  can  adopt  is,  by  temper  and  patience  to 


1797.]  LISLE.  449 

prevent  its  premature  rupture  from  being  imputed  to  us, 
and  by  prudence  and  caution  to  let  nothing  escape  me 
which  may  betray  an  over-eagerness  for  its  success,  or 
pledge  me  directly  or  indirectly,  to  any  unbecoming  con- 
ditions when  we  really  begin  to  negotiate. 

If  the  delay,  which  from  the  confidential  channel  is 
accounted  for  as  being  purposely  managed  for  good  ends, 
should  after  all  arise  from  direct  contrary  motives,  and  be 
concerted  on  the  part  of  the  three  hostile  Directors''  for 
the  purpose  of  gaining  time,  in  order  that  they  may  the 
better  accomplish  their  views  of  power,  I  do  not  see, 
even  in  that  case,  (except  that  every  additional  day  of 
war  is  to  be  regretted,)  any  particular  evil  which  will  re- 
sult from  it.  If  the  Treaty  is  ultimately  to  break  off,  it 
must  be  done  on  the  part  of  the  French  Government  in  a 
more  offensive  way,  after  they  have  allowed  it  to  go  on 
for  a  length  of  time,  than  at  its  beginning.  I  have  no 
good  grounds  to  suspect  this,  but  it  is  possible  that  the 
three  Directors,  who  are  certainly  more  daring  than 
able,  may,  either  by  reckoning  on  support  from  Buona- 
parte, or  by  means  of  the  armed  force  with  which  they 
are  surrounding  Paris,  perhaps  after  the  signing  of  the 
Definitive  Treaty  with  Austria,  think  events  may  turn 
up  in  their  favour,  of  which  they  are  desirous  to  take 
the  chance. 

I  shall  conclude  this  letter  by  saying,  that  with  respect 
to  our  secret  information,  Mr.  Ellis  has  been  troubled  at 
my  request,  after  each  interview  to  write  down  a  detailed 
and  circumstantial  account  of  every  conversation  which 
passed,  in  order  that  I  might,  by  comparing  the  whole  to- 
gether, be  enabled  to  judge  whether  it  tallied  exactly. 
And  as  I  cannot  discover  that  his  informant  has  been  be- 
trayed into  any  contradiction,  I  really  do  not  think  there 
is  any  internal  evidence  against  his  credibility. 

I  am,  &c.  Malmesbury. 

*  Barras,  Rewbell,  and  La  Reveilliere  Lepaux. 


VOL.  III.  2  G 


450  DIARIES  AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [l797. 

EXTRACT    or  A  LETTER   FROM  LORD  MALMESBURY    TO    MR.  PITT. 

Lisle,  Gth  Aug.,  1797. 

As  in  addition  to  what  you  will  already  have  heard  from 
Mr.  Wesley,  I  can  depend  on  the  correct  memory  and  faith- 
ful report  of  Lord  Granville  Leveson,  and  also  on  the  satis- 
factory manner  in  which  he  will  answer  your  questions  and 
explain  your  doubts,  I  shall  begin  this  letter  under  the 
impression  that  you  are  as  much  master  of  what  has  passed 
here  privately  and  confidentially  as  we  ourselves,  and 
much  better  able  than  we  can  be  to  estimate  its  value, 
and  the  degree  of  credit  to  which  it  may  1)0  entitled. 

The  intermediary  person  trusted  and  employed  by 
Maret  is  a  plain,  sensible  man,  who  says  he  is  actuated  by 
no  other  motive  than  because  he  considers  it  to  be  the 
interest  of  France  in  general,  and  the  advantage  of  his 
friend  and  relation  in  particular  that  the  Negotiation 
should  succeed.  He  has  been  employed  from  an  early 
period  of  his  life  in  different  public  offices,  and  has  no- 
thing about  him  which  denotes  the  adventurer.  I  can  have 
no  doubt  of  his  acting  under  Maret's  authority,  as  in 
order  to  ascertain  it,  I  agreed  upon  certain  signs  to  be 
used  at  the  Conference  which  were  made  and  understood 
by  us  both.""  He  is  known  to  be  a  ]\Iodere  ;  he  has  an 
office  here,  (Inspecteur  des  Postes  et  Messageries,)  which 
he  got  by  purchase.  He  is  perfectly  acquainted  with 
what  passed  during  our  last  negotiation  at  Paris,  and  ap- 
pears to  possess  the  full  confidence  of  Maret  in  this. 


EXTRACT    OF    A    DESPATCH    FROM    LORD    MALMESBURY    TO 

LORD    GRENVILLE. 

(Separate.)  Lisle,  fith  August,  1797. 

As  I  derive  from  a  secret  and  confidential  channel  the 
only  means  I  have  to  throw  any  light  on  the  present  in- 
coherent conduct  of  this  Government,  and  as  tlie  inform- 

*  The  sign  agreed  upon  was  Maret's  taking  his  handkerchief  out  of  one 
pocket,  ])assing  it  before  his  face,  and  returning  it  into  the  otlicr.  }lariis 
Paprra,  diul  l.oril  Granville. 


1797.]  LISLE.  451 

ation  I  receive  is  so  complex  and  intricate  as  to  leave 
me  no  hopes  that  I  should  be  able  to  convey  it  to  your 
Lordship  with  precision  and  clearness  by  letter,  I  have 
determined  to  request  Lord  G.  Leveson  to  be  the  bearer 
of  these  despatches.  His  Lordship  is  fully  acquainted 
with  every  circumstance  of  the  transaction ;  he  will  state 
the  whole  of  it  to  your  Lordship,  and  enable  you  to  form 
a  judgment  as  to  the  degree  of  attention  proper  to  be 
paid  to  it. 

I  shall  not  anticipate  any  part  of  what  Lord  Granville 
has  to  say,  although  it  would  be,  perhaps,  necessary  that 
I  should,  in  order  to  explain  some  passages  of  my  de- 
spatch of  this  date. 

The  intention  to  intimidate,  if  not  to  subdue,  the  Le- 
gislative Body  by  force,  comes  out  on  further  investiga- 
tion to  have  been  a  measure  actually  resolved  on.  Con- 
siderable bodies  of  troops  were  approaching  in  every 
direction  towards  Paris,  and  the  troops  still  remain 
but  just  beyond  the  circle  prescribed  by  the  Constitu- 
tion.'"* Your  Lordship  will  perceive  from  the  motions 
of  Willot  t  and  Doulcet,  in  the  Council  of  Five  Hundred, 
that  violent  suspicions  still  exist,  and  that  strong  mea- 
sures are  prepared  in  consequence.  But  the  strongest  of 
all,  and  one  which  may  ultimately  plunge  this  country 
into  a  state  of  the  most  bloody  civil  war,  is  the  plan  in 
contemplation  by  the  Councils,  of  arming  a  body  of 
national  troops  for  their  defence  against  those  of  the  line. 

On  the  other  side  the  language  of  the  troops  of  the 
line  which  have  entered  France,  clearly  betray  the  in- 
tentions for  which  they  are  brought.  They  conduct 
•  themselves  not  as  an  army  marching  quietly  through 
its  own  country,  but  as  if  they  came  for  hostile  purposes. 
Violent  but  most  unconstitutional  declarations  in  sup- 
port of  the  Directorial  authority,  have  been  made  by 
divisions  of  Buonaparte's  army  ;  and  it  is  evident  that 


*  Twelve  leagues  from  Paris. 

t  Willot  made  a  motion  that  a  report  be  drawn  np  on  the  state  of 
affairs,  and  questions  addressed  to  the  Directory  respecting  the  march  of 
the  troops.  This  was  adopted,  and  in  answer,  the  Directory,  in  bold  lan- 
guage, justified  their  conduct. 

2  G  2 


452  DIARIES  AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [1797- 

the  three  Directors  have  endeavoured  to  form  a  strong 
party  amongst  the  soldiers,  and  expect  effectual  sup- 
port from  them.  Of  this  support,  however,  they  will 
be  no  longer  secure  than  while  they  are  enabled  to  pay 
for  their  services. 

I  hear  it  said  that  the  moderate  party  is  gaining 
strength,  and  that  it  is  becoming  every  day  more  nu- 
merous and  more  popular.  But  I  am  far  from  being 
confident  that  from  these  reasons  we  are  to  reckon  that 
it  will  ultimately  prevail.  A  very  few  regular  troops 
would  keep  great  numbers  in  awe,  and  the  return  of  the 
"  system^'  of  terror  for  a  very  short  time  would  com- 
pletely overthrow  the  two  Councils. 

Rewbell  and  Barras  are  determined  characters.  Goubert, 
a  friend  of  the  first,  told  him  some  time  ago,  "  que  s'il  ne 
changeoit  pas  de  conduite,  il  le  verroit  dans  trois  semaines 
a  Vendome"  (where  Baboeuf  was  confined).  RcAvbell 
answered,  "  Eh  bien !  en  ce  cas  j'irai,  car  je  ne  m'en 
d^mordrai  pas."'"' 

From  this  situation  of  the  two  great  parties  in  this 
country,  it  might  fairly  be  inferred  that  Paris  would  be 
at  this  moment  in  a  state  of  apprehension  and  alarm. 
The  contrary,  liowe\'er,  is  the  fact ;  the  greatest  dis- 
sii)ation  prevails  :  and  it  should  appear  to  be  the  policy 
of  the  Directory  to  try  to  divert  the  minds  of  the  people 
from  every  reflection,  by  procuring  them  every  sort  of 
amusement  which  can  gratify  either  their  love  of  pleasure 
or  their  curiosity,  and  the  incurable  levity  of  the  French 
assist  them  powerfully  on  this  occasion. 

There  reigns,  however,  a  very  deep  and  serious  uneasi- 
ness amongst  the  graver  monied  men  and  thinking  mer- 
chants. They  dread  the  continuation  of  the  war,  well 
knowing  that  the  only  resource  left  to  this  country  is  a 
forced  loan  ;  and  they  are  almost  equally  afraid  of  the 
ruinous  effect  that  the  event  of  the  present  struggles 
between  the  two  parties  may  have  on  their  credit  and 
property.      Indeed,  in  the  present  state  of  party,  they 

*  The  tliird,  Tici  R^'VcillitTC  Lcpiuix,  was  quite  in  tlie  liaiuls  of  tluso  two. 
Pic'licgiu  and  Lacnce  were  at  tliis  time  trying  to  bring  him  over  to  the  Res- 
toration party. — Harris  Papers. 


1797.]  LISLE.  453 

seem  to  have  forgotten  that  tliej  have  a  foreign  enemy, 
and  what  I  have  written  will  in  some  measure  account 
for  the  delay  we  have  been  forced  to  submit  to. 


LETTER    FROM    MR.    CANNING    TO    MR.   ELLIS, 

Spring  Gardens,  8th  Aug.,  1797. 

My  DEAR  George, — You  have  done  great  things,  and 
we  expect  great  things  from  you.  I -have  no  remark  to 
offer  upon  any  part  of  your  communications  by  Wesley, 
or  by  Leveson,  but  only  to  approve  and  admire,  and 
wonder  what  will  come  next.  In  the  mean  time  I  pro- 
ceed to  answer,  as  far  as  I  recollect  them,  all  the  ques- 
tions which  you  have  put  to  me,  and  the  answers  to 
which  can  be  of  any  use  or  comfort  to  you. 

I  was  not  quizzing  you,  but  telling  a  most  sober  truth, 
when  I  gave  you  the  copy  of  Talleyrand's  letter  to  Smith. 
As  a  proof  of  its  authenticity,  I  enclose  to  you  the  copy 
of  another,  which  has  been  since  received,  but  of  which 
no  communication  has  been  made  to  me.  It  is  written, 
as  you  see,  in  English,  and  (which  you  cannot  see,  but 
must  believe  as  I  do,)  in  T.'s  hand.  You  will  see  the 
remarkable  coincidence  of  this  letter  with  everything 
that  you  have  been  told  :  1st,  the  date  of  the  receipt 
of  the  result ;  2nd,  the  hnotuing  them  a  little  before  ;  the 
much  to  repair  and  to  do ;  the  taking  patience ;  the  idea 
he  may  have  had,  of  the  determination  you  all  appear  to 
have  of  being  disappointed.  I  wish  he  had  written  again 
on  the  29th,  which  I  cannot  find  that  he  did.  I  cannot 
find  either,  that  the  person  of  confidence  mentioned  in 
his  first  letter  is  arrived.  When  he  does,  I  shall  probably 
insinuate  myself  into  his  secrets,  without  his  know- 
ing it. 

With  regard  to  Barthelemi's  gambling  in  our  funds,  I 
do  not  think  it  matters  much  any  way.  If  you  have 
strong  reasons  for  disbelieving  it,  I  do  not  wish  to  press 
it.  I  have  it  second-hand  from  a  person  who  says  Char- 
retier  told  it  him,  he  (Charretier)  being  Barthelemi's 
manager  in  the  business.      I  know,  from  incontestable 


454  DIARIES  AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [l797. 

proof,  that  Barthelemi  and  Charretier  have  correspond- 
ence together,  but  that  proves  little.  Mj  informant  may 
have  belied  Charretier,  or  Charretier  his  correspondent. 

The  account  of  Maret's  commission  concerning  the 
Cape""  comes  through  Wickham  from  Paris,  and  everything 
that  we  have  had  through  the  same  channel  from  the  same 
authority  has  turned  out  so  accurately  true,  especially  of 
late,  that  I  confess  I  give  great  credit  to  the  intelligence. 
Indeed,  I  think  I  see  in  Maret's  conduct  strong  grounds 
of  confirmation.  By  the  way,  however,  I  must  say  that  I 
do  not  believe  one  word  of  the  unwillingness  of  the 
Dutch  to  give  up  the  Cape  (in  addition  to  Trincomalee)  as 
the  price  of  peace.  We  have  information,  and  very  respect- 
able information,  directly  from  the  Plague  of  a  tendency 
exactly  opposite.  And  if  the  money  is  wanted  at  all,  I 
am  clear  it  is  not  to  satisfy  the  Dutch,  but  to  enable 
them  to  satisfy  the  French ;  and  that,  contrary  to  the  usual 
habits  of  Batavians,  they  are  compelled  to  offer  for  sale 
wliat  they  are  of  themselves  ready  to  give  away. 

"  The  Lion"  expresses  some  doubt,  both  in  his  Despatch 
and  in  his  private  letter,  (to  Mr.  Pitt,  I  think,)  of  the 
propriety  of  allowing  Dutch  and  Spanish  Plenipotentiaries 
to  come  into  the  Negotiation.  I  do  not  know  whether 
he  wished  to  get  an  answer  to  this  doubt  now,  or  to  have 
it  in  reseiTe  as  what  he  might  take  hereafter  ad  refe- 
rendum for  the  sake  of  gaining  time.  To  take  it  ad 
referendum  Avill  certainly  be  very  proper,  but  I  appre- 
hend (and  Pitt,  if  he  writes,  will  write  to  the  same  effect 
to  "  the  Lion,")  that  there  can  be  no  hesitation  as  to  the 
admission  of  the  Plenipotentiaries — little  doubt,  I  should 
imagine,  as  to  the  prudence  of  admitting  them — the 
Dutch  especially,  with  a  view  to  the  question  last  men- 
tioned, of  the  Cape  and  for  the  Spaniards.  I  should  like 
to  see  "  the  Lion"  try  his  hand  upon  Cabarras.  Tlie  only 
possible  inconvenience  that  I  foresee  is,  tliat  "  the  Lion  " 
may  be  in  return  encumbered  with  the  assistance  of  Aranjo, 
There  are  few  things  in  your  communications  that  I  like 

*  It  was  said  tliat  Marct  had  a  separate  conmiissiou  to  kuvc  us  tlic  Cape 
for  a  sum  oi'  inoncy. 


1797.]  LISLE.  455 

SO  well,  and  expected  so  little,  as  the  facilities  that  are 
promised  about  Portugal. 

Wesley  complains  that  he  has  failed  in  procuring  an 
answer  to  three  points  which  Lord  Malmesbury  has 
been  referring  again  and  again  to  Lord  Grenville  and  to 
Mr.  Pitt  for  decision — the  King's  title,  the  Toulon  ships, 
and  the  renewal  of  treaties. 

First,  I  think  I  can  safely  tell  you  that  "  the  Lion^'  never 
will  get  a  distinct  answer  upon  either  of  the  two  first 
points,  until  they  are  formally  brought  under  discussion 
at  Lisle,  and  forced  upon  the  Cabinet  for  deliberation ; 
the  third  may,  perhaps,  be  in  the  same  situation.  But 
Pitt  seems  to  have  no  manner  of  difficulty  in  agreeing 
to  renew  or  omit  as  many  treaties,  or  as  few  as  any 
gentleman  pleases,  convinced  that  in  the  way  in  which 
we  are  going  about  this  matter,  we  shall  start  afresh 
from '  the  present  pacification,  and  have  everything  to 
begin  upon  a  bran  new  plan  adapted  to  the  present  occa- 
sion. It  seems,  however,  to  him,  and  I  should  think  to 
everybody,  that  it  would  be  shorter  to  renew  in  a  lump 
than  to  pick  and  cull ;  but  be  that  is  it  may. 

With  regard  to  the  King's  title,  I  confess  I  attach  more 
importance  to  it  in  my  own  mind  than  I  think  Pitt  is  at 
present  inclined  to  do.  Wesley  will  tell  you  that  I 
could  only  get  him  to  make  jokes  (and  those  for  the 
most  part  bad  ones)  at  dinner  to-day.  But  I  feel  very 
much  persuaded,  that,  argued  as  a  point  of  our  internal 
constitution,  the  unqualified  demand  of  its  renunciation 
may  be  got  over,  and  that  a  separate  article,  worded  as 
strongly  as  you  please  in  favour  (and  the  more  exclu- 
sively in  favour  the  better)  of  the  French  Republic,  to- 
gether with  the  use  of  the  words  "  Britannic  Majesty," 
may  be  made  to  satisfy  all  parties. 

As  to  the  Toulon  ships,  surely  those  which  are  de- 
stroyed cannot  come  into  question.  We  had  them  in 
trust :  good.  What  is  required  of  a  person  who  takes  a 
thing  in  trust — what  is  the  law  1 — the  equity? — the 
usage  in  private  life  1  that  he  should  be  as  careful  of  it 
as  if  it  were  his  own  ;  pay  the  same  attention  to  its  pre- 
servation, expose  it  to  no  other  than  the  same  dangers, 


456  DIARIES  AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [1797. 

and  defend  it  at  no  less  than  the  same  cost.  It  is  not 
required  that  more  attention  should  be  paid  to  it,  that  it 
should  be  7nore  carefully  guarded,  moi^e  obstinately  and 
laboriously  defended.  Well,  then,  supposing  ships,  in- 
contestably  our  oiun,  to  have  been  in  the  situation  of  the 
Toulon  ships  at  the  time  of  the  evacuation,  what  should  we 
have  done  1  Undoubtedly  brought  away  as  many  as  we 
could,  and  destroyed  the  rest  to  prevent  their  falling  into 
the  enemy's  hands.  It  is  the  every-day  practice  of  war. 
We  did  so  with  the  ships  which  we  took  in  trust.  We 
should  have  been  unfaithful  to  our  trust  if  we  had  done 
otherwise  ;  and  having  done  so,  we  stand  acquitted  and 
discharged  of  any  responsibility  concerning  them.  If  the 
question  be  only  with  regard  to  those  which  we  have  in 
our  possession,  I  am  clear  (are  not  you  ?)  for  returning 
them,  not  paying  for  them.  In  God's  name,  do  not  let 
us  pay  tribute  in  any  shape,  under  any  pretence,  qualifi- 
cation, or  disguise  whatever.  I  think,  if  the  matter  be 
rightly  stated,  the  French  Government  have  the  best  of 
the  argument,  with  respect  to  the  property  taken  in  trust 
for  France,  and  found  at  the  time  of  our  pacification 
with  France  in  our  possession,  and  in  a  restorable  state. 
But  then  it  is  to  the  things  themselves,  as  expressed  in 
the  bond — "  to  the  pound  of  flesh,  not  a  drop  of  blood," — 
to  the  rotten  ships, — not  a  guinea  of  our  money,  that  the 
French  have  a  fair  pretension.  Give  them  back  what 
we  have,  assert  our  acquittal  and  discharge  as  to  what 
we  have  lost,  fairly  and  bond  fide  lost  or  destroyed,  as 
we  would  have  lost  or  destroyed  our  own.  And  there  is 
one  clear,  honourable,  uniform,  principled  argument  on 
which  we  may  stand  against  the  world,  and  there  is  no 
meanness  in  it.  But  once  admit  compromise,  or  equiva- 
lent, the  principle  is  gone,  the  limits  can  no  longer  be 
ascertained  between  what  we  owe  and  what  is  extorted 
from  us  ;  we  are  no  longer  accounting  for  a  trust,  but 
acknowledging  and  atoning  for  an  injury. 

I  wish  you  would  think  over  this  and  agree  with  mc 
in  it.  I  talk  to  Pitt  about  it ;  but  I  do  not  think  he 
gives  tliis  point  all  the  attention  it  deserves.  He  liopes 
it  may  l)e  staved  off",   involved  in  other  discussions  and 


1797.]  LISLE.  457 

views,  and  decided  without  distinct  consideration.  Can 
this  be  '?  I  think  not.  Is  it  desirable  that  it  shoukl  be  ? 
Indeed  I  think  not  too.     Adieu,  G.  C. 

Wednesday  Morning, 

P.S. — I  have  just  read  over,  with  Pitt,  all  that  I  had 
written  to  you.  He  denies  "  the  bad  jokes" — not  the  johes, 
I  believe,  iDut  the  badness  of  them,  and  the  want  of  con- 
sideration for  the  Toulon  ships,  which  I  attribute  to  him 
at  the  end  of  the  letter.  As  a  proof  to  the  contrary  of 
this  charge,  he  desires  me  particularly  to  add,  that  to 
make  my  system  respecting  Toulon  complete,  we  ought, 
in  return  for  our  acknowledgment  of  the  present  Govern- 
ment of  France,  as  that  with  which  we  virtually  made 
and  are  bound  to  keep  our  bargain,  to  stipulate  for  the 
restoration  of  those  individuals  with  whom  we  treated  to 
a  situation  of  safety  and  protection  under  that  Govern- 
ment. Tliis  seems  quite  right  and  necessary,  and  I 
should  imagine  would  not  be  difficult.  Indeed,  I  appre- 
hend that  the  Toulonese  are  already  restored.  If  so,  we 
have  only  to  say,  that  without  that  circumstance  we 
would  not,  &c. 


(iXCLOSURE.) 

SECRET  LETTER  FROM  TALLEYRAND  PERIGORD  TO  ROBERT 

SMITH,  ESQ. 

27th  July,  1797. 

I  RECEIVED  to-day  only,  the  result  of  the  conferences  at 
Lille  since  your  last  despatches  —  it  is  true  I  knew  them 
a  little  before. 

I  am  ready,  and  to-day  will  be  busy  about.  To-night 
I  shall  have  an  idea,  if  not  a  determination.  But  as  it  is 
not  a  post  to-morrow,  I  .will  not  write  again  but  on  the 
29th. 

My  wish  is  good,  but  I  have  a  great  deal  to  repair,""'  and 
to  do, — must  take  patience.     Adieu. 

*  Alluding  to  Dekcroix',s  warlike  plans. 


458  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [l797. 


LETTER    FROM    MR.    CAXNIiS^G    TO    MR.    LEGH, 

Downing  Street,  11th  August,  1797. 

You  will  have  seen  in  all  the  newspapers  that  Granville 
Leveson  arrived  here  on  Tuesday,  and  in  some  of  them, 
that  he  and  I  left  town  together  on  Wednesday  for 
Dropmore,  than  which  nothing  is  more  true.  Granville 
Leveson  did  arrive  on  Tuesday  morning.  Pitt  came 
to  town  from  Hollwood  to  dine  with  us  at  my  house 
(where  Leveson  is  established  in  W.  L.'s  room),  and  to 
talk  over  and  over  all  that  Leveson  had  to  tell  us.  On 
Wednesday  morning  we  set  out,  Leveson  and  I,  for  Drop- 
more  ; — staid  there  that  day  and  night — very  busy,  and 
rather  dull ; — and  yesterday  morning  we  proceeded  for 
relaxation  to  Park  Place,  wliere  we  had  a  delightful,  idle, 
and  pleasant  day  with  Lady  Malmesbury,  Charles  Ellis, 
Frere,  the  Lavingtons,  &c. ;  and  from  Park  Place  we  are 
just  returned  to  town.  I  mean  to  have  to-day  tete-d- 
tete  with  Leveson  in  Spring  Gardens,  for,  except  on  our 
journeys,  we  have  scarcely  been  alone  together  since  his 
arrival.  To-morrow  I  have  promised  to  carry  him  to 
Hollwood,  where  I  think  we  shall  spend  to-morrow  and 
Sunday  very  comfortably. 


EXTRACTS   OF    A    DESPATCH    FROM    LORD    MALMESBURY    TO 

LORD    GRENVILLE. 

Lisle,  14th  Aug.,  1797. 

In  consequence  of  the  resolution  we  had  come  to,  to 
meet  on  the  days  of  the  arrival  of  the  post  from  Paris, 
our  conferences  for  this  last  week  have  taken  place  regu- 
larly every  other  morning,  except  on  Thursday  the  10th 
of  August,  which  being  the  anniversary  of  one  of  their 
festivals,  the  French  Legation  could  not  attend. 

On  the  8th  nothing  was  said  at  all  worth  transmitting, 
except  an  intimation  flung  out  by  M.  Maret,  that  it 
would  be  necessary  to  take  into  consideration  the  rights 
of  Neutral  Nations  on  this  occasion. 


1797.1  LISLE.  459 

What  passed  on  the  12th  was  rather  more  interesting. 
The  return  of  M.  Wesley  afforded  me  a  very  natural 
opportunity  of  expressing  the  impatience  with  which  an 
answer  to  my  last  Note  was  expected  by  my  Court.  That 
three  weeks  had  now  elapsed  since  its  transmission  ;  and 
that,  although  I  by  no  means  wished  to  insinuate  that 
due  attention  had  not  been  paid  to  so  very  important  a 
subject,  as  that  on  which  we  were  treating,  yet  I  could 
not  but  greatly  lament  that  day  after  day  should  be 
allowed  to  pass  away,  without  our  proceeding  at  all  in 
the  great  business  for  which  we  were  met.  M.  Le  Tour- 
neur  said,  that  it  was  impossible  I  could  lament  this 
delay  more  than  he  and  his  colleagues  did.  That  he  had 
already  declared  to  me,  that  it  was  occasioned  by  a  wish 
not  to  create  but  to  remove  difficulties ;  and  he  could 
assure  me  positively  that  the  French  Government  had  no 
other  object  in  view,  and  that  I  should  find,  when  once 
we  began  fairly  to  negotiate,  we  should  proceed  very 
rapidly. 

I  replied,  "  It  was  indeed  very  material  to  make  good 
the  time  we  had  lost."  "  You  would  not,"  answered  M.  Le 
Tourneur,  "  call  it  time  lost,  if  you  knew  how  it  was  em- 
ployed." On  my  expressing  by  my  manner  a  wish  to  be 
informed,  he  went  on  by  saying,  "  I  will  not  scruple  to  tell 
you,  though  I  feel  I  ought  not  yet  to  do  it  officially,  that 
we  are  consulting  with  our  Allies,  that  we  have  com- 
municated to  them  all  that  has  passed  here.  We  have 
stated  that  unless  they  mean  to  continue  the  war,  they 
must  release  us  from  our  engagements,  and  enable  us  to 
a  certain  degree  to  meet  your  proposals." 

I  told  him,  I  heard  this  with  pleasure,  as  it  was  a 
much  more  satisfactory  account  for  the  slowness  of  their 
proceedings  than  any  that  had  yet  been  alleged,  but  that 
I  imagined  a  sufficient  portion  of  time  had  elapsed  to 
receive  answers  from  Madrid,  and  much  more  than  suffi- 
cient to  get  them  from  the  Hague.  M.  Le  Tourneur  ob- 
served, that  in  regard  to  the  Court  of  Spain,  M.  Del 
Campo  and  Count  Cabarras  having  very  extensive  full 
powers,  it  was  not  necessary  to  wait  for  any  answer  from 
Madrid,  that  the   difficulty  arose  from  the  side  of  the 


460  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [l797. 

Batavian  Republic.  Tliej  were  divided  into  so  many 
factions,  and  were  so  fully  employed  with  forming  their 
new  constitution,  that  no  answer  was  to  be  got  from 
them. 

The  Conference  of  to-day  is  this  moment  over.  ]\I.  Le 
Tourneur  informs  me,  that  he  had  received  this  morning 
a  letter  from  M.  Carnot,  President  of  the  Directory,  as- 
suring him  that  in  four  or  five  days  they  would  receive 
their  final  instructions  ;  and  he  added  of  himself,  that  he 
trusted  these  would  be  such  as  to  enable  us  to  continue 
our  work  without  any  further  interruption.  I  said,  I 
hoped  these  instructions  would  be  in  substance  a  contre- 
projet,  as  I  did  not  see  how  anything  short  of  one  could 
enable  us  to  proceed  so  rapidly  as  he  described.  He 
agreed  with  me  entirely,  and  assured  me,  that  both  he 
and  his  Colleagues  as  well  officially,  as  in  their  private 
correspondence,  had  repeatedly  stated  the  necessity  of 
a  Gontre-projH  being  sent  them ;  and  he  observed, 
that  he  really  thought  the  French  Government  might 
have  foreseen  everything  whicli  had  passed,  and  been 
prepared  with  one  ;  and  that  this  would  have  saved 
a  deal  of  valuable  time.  As  I  could  not  myself 
have  said  more,  I  readily  gave  a  full  assent  to  what  I 
heard. 


EXTRACT    OF    A    DESrATCH    FROM    LORD    MALMESBURY    TO 

LORD    GREXA^LLE. 

(Separate.)  Lisle,  14th  Aug.,  1797. 

As  YOUR  Lordship  will  perceive  from  my  other  despatch 
of  to-day,  that  nothing  very  material  has  passed  in  any  of 
the  Conferences  which  we  have  licld  since  I  had  last  the 
honour  of  writing  to  you  by  Lord  Granville  Leveson,  I 
should  perhaps  have  deferred  a  few  days  longer  despatch- 
ing a  messenger,  if  I  had  not  received  an  cx})rcss  in  the 
night  of  the  12th  from  the  Chevalier  d'Aranjo,  ]\linister 
from  the  Court  of  Lisbon  at  Paris,  with  an  accouuD  that 
he  signed,  tlie  preceding  evening,  a  Treaty  of  Peace  be- 


1797.1  LISLE.  461 

tween  Her  Most  Faithful  Majesty  and  the  French  Re- 
public.'" 

It  is  necessary  to  remark  that  he  had  not  given  me 
any  previous  notice  either  of  his  return  to  Paris  or  of  the 
Negotiation  having  been  resumed  between  him  and  M. 
Delacroix ;  and  the  whole  of  the  transaction  would  have 
taken  me  entirely  by  surprise,  if  I  had  not  been  informed 
by  ]M.  ]\Iaret,  some  time  before  the  arrival  of  the  express, 
that  the  telegraph  had  conveyed  to  the  French  Legation 
the  news  that  this  peace  was  on  the  point  of  being 
concluded. 

The  French  Plenipotentiaries  were  evidently  pleased 
with  this  event,  but  in  speaking  to  me,  they  accounted 
for  their  satisfaction  by  saying,  that  they  looked  upon  it 
as  a  good  omen  for  a  general  peace  ;  that  it  indicates 
clearly  the  pacific  dispositions  of  the  Directory,  and  much 
more  to  this  effect. 

M.  Le  Tourneur  observed,  that  as  our  greatest  difficul- 
ties arose  from  our  being  bound  to  have  an  attention  to 
the  situation  and  interest  of  our  Allies,  he  thought  one 
great  obstacle  was  now  removed;  and  he  spoke  of  the 
probable  success  of  our  Negotiation  with  a  great  degree  of 
confidence.  As  it  was  not,  however,  quite  clear  to  me  what 
mode  of  reasoning  he  had  adopted  on  this  occasion,  or  on 
what  new  principle,  arising  out  of  the  Portuguese  Peace, 
he  grounded  this  confidence,  I  did  not  think  it  necessary 
either  to  agree  with  him,  or  dissent  from  him. 

*  This  Treaty  of  Peace  was  concluded  by  M.  Aranjo,  not  only  without 
the  autliority  of  his  Court,  but  absolutely  against  its  commands.  It  was  im- 
mediately disowned  by  M.  Pinto,  the  Portuguese  Prime  Minister,  and  the 
Prince  of  Brazil.  Although  signed  by  Delacroix,  it  was  the  handiwork  of 
Talleyrand.  By  its  articles,  a  mutual  restitution  of  all  territorial  posses- 
sions gained  by  either  party  during  the  war  was  agreed  on.  Portugal  was 
to  remain  absolutely  neutral  between  France  and  England,  and  never  to 
admit  more  than  six  ships  of  either  nation  in  her  jjorts  during  the  war.  By 
this  hostile  and  treacherous  act  of  M.  Aranjo,  we  lost  (for  the  moment)  an 
ally,  and  it  gave  the  French  some  advantage  at  this  period  of  the  Nego- 
tiation. 


4G2  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [l797. 


EXTRACTS    OF   A   DESPATCH    FROM    LORD    MALMESBURY    TO 

LORD    GRENVILLE. 

(Separate.)  Lisle,  14th  Aug.,  1797. 

The  message  and  answer  from  the  Directory  to  the  two 
Councils  on  their  enquiry  relative  to  the  unconstitutional 
march  of  part  of  the  army'""  of  the  Sambre  and  Meuse, 
which  was  delivered  to  them  on  Thursday  last,  appear  to 
have  excited  a  very  considerable  degree  of  alarm  at  Paris, 
and  to  have  renewed  all  those  apprehensions  which  for  a 
few  days  have  subsided. 

General  Bournonville  passed  through  here  on  the  8th, 
and  it  is  rumoured  that  he  is  intrusted  with  some  secret 
commission  by  the  Directory  relative  to  the  troops. 

There  is,  indeed,  no  doubt  that  the  Directory  has  not 
yet  given  up  all  hopes  of  asserting  their  authority,  either 
by  really  employing  force,  or  by  threatening  to  do  it.  It 
is  generally  thouglit  they  will  not  venture  beyond  the 
latter,  and  that  if  the  two  Councils  do  not  allow  them- 
selves to  be  intimidated,  the  Directory  will  ultimately 
give  up  the  attempt,  and  be  well  satisfied  to  come  to 
a  reasonable  compromise.  I  still,  however,  think  Bar- 
ras  and  Rewbell  desperate  enough  to  go  any  lengths, 
and  do  not  feel  quite  so  secure  of  this  compromise  as 
many;  who,  hoAvever,  are  certainly  more  competent  to 
form  an  opinion  as  to  its  probability,  than  I  can  pos- 
sibly be. 

It  appears  that  General  Iloche  was  recalled  from  the 
army  so  long  ago  as  the  2.9th  of  June,  in  order  to  be  sent 
on  a  new  expedition  against  Ireland. 


EXTRACTS    OF    A    LETTER    FROM    LORD    MALMESBURY   TO 
LORD   GRENVILLE. 

Lisle,  Aug.  14tli,  1797. 

I  AM  very  sorry  that  my  official  letters  of  to-day  will 

*  Onleicd  by  tlie  three  Directors  of  the  War  Party  to  march  u-)on  Paris, 
to  overawe  tlic  Councils,  &c.,  ]>reparatorv  to  tlicir  final  struggle  witli  tlicin. 


1797.]  LISLE.  463 

tend  so  little  to  remove  the  state  of  suspense  in  -wliich  we 
have  been  kept  so  long.  The  French  Plenipotentiaries 
themselves  appear  to  think  this  delay  unreasonable, 
and  endeavour,  in  our  Conferences,  to  make  up  by  per- 
sonal attentions  and  civilities  the  deficiency  in  their 
ministerial  communications.  Whatever  may  be  my  pri- 
vate opinion  as  to  the  effects  of  this  delay,  you  will 
perceive,  that  in  my  conversation  with  them,  I  always 
complain  of  it,  and  represent  it  as  calculated  to  create 
uneasiness,  and  give  rise  to  the  most  unpleasant  suspicions. 
Everything,  however,  that  I  hear  and  observe  convinces 
me  no  real  evil  will  result  from  it,  provided  it  is  not 
carried  too  far,  and  I  am  glad  to  find  that  your  opinion 
coincides  with  mine  on  this  point. 

The  person  who  is  alluded  to  in  my  separate  despatch 
is  M.  St.  Simon,  who  (though  of  a  very  great  family)  has 
lived  through  the  whole  of  the  Revolutions  at  Paris,  and 
increased  very  considerably  his  family  property  by  the 
purchase  of  Church  Lands.  He  is  a  shrewd,  sensible, 
strong-headed  man,  and  there  can  be  little  doubt  but 
that  he  spoke  his  own  genuine  sentiments,  and  those 
of  the  public  in  general.  But  you  must  consider  what 
he  says  as  the  consequence  more  of  opinion  and  observa- 
tion than  of  positive  information,  and  make  allowances 
accordingly.'"' 

It  tallies  exceedingly  well  with  what  we  have  heard 
from  Pein,  though  certainly  no  communication  subsists 
between  them ;  and  one  of  the  great  inducements  I 
had  in  being  so  accurate  in  stating  the  conversation 
between  Ellis  and  his  friend  was,  that  it  may  serve  to 
convey  a  great  deal  of  what  Pein  has  told  us,  with- 
out being  under  the  necessity  of  committing  either  him 
or  Maret.  I  could  wish  you  would  be  so  good  (unless 
it  be  absolutely  necessary)  not  to  mention  M.  St.  Simon's 
name  to  any  one  but  Mr.  Pitt. 

*  M.  St.  Simon,  who  saw  Mr.  Ellis  in  secret,  affirmed  that  peace  would 
eventually  he  granted,  and  on  fair  terms,  as  tlie  Directors  dared  not  oppose 
the  general  wish  of  the  nation  on  this  point  ;  but  that  the  Directors  were  at 
this  moment  more  engaged  with  their  own  personal  danger  than  witli  the 
Negotiation,  and  that  hence  arose  the  delays.  He  was  of  the  moderate 
party,  and  spoke  as  he  wisiiod. 


464  DIARIES  AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [1797- 

It  was  perfectly  evident  to  me,  and  I  really  thought  I 
had  mentioned  it  in  one  of  my  private  letters,  that  the 
question  of  money,  when  connected  with  the  Dutch 
Cessions,  was  precisely  what  you  say. —  The  French  were 
to  have  had  about  five  millions  from  the  Dutch.  They 
have  received  about  two,  and  would  certainly  be  very 
glad  to  get  the  remainder  from  us,  as  the  price  of  the 
Cape. 

EXTRACTS    OF    A    LETTER    FROM    LORD    MALilESBURY    TO 

MR.    CANNING. 

Lisle,  14th  Aug.,  1797. 

It  gave  me  very  great  pleasure  to  hear  Wesley  and  Le- 
veson  were  so  clear  and  satisfactory  in  their  accounts;  I 
was  sure  they  would  be  so,  but  I  am  particularly  glad 
that  Leveson  has  had  this  opportunity  of  making  his 
merits  known,  and  that  he  has  done  it  with  such  good 
effect.  I  am  not  without  my  apprehensions  that  you  in- 
fer too  much  from  what  we  transmit  to  you ;  that  you 
get  too  sanguine,  or  at  least  sanguine  too  soon,  and  will 
be  more  disappointed  than  you  ought  to  be,  when  you 
find  that  numberless  and  great  difficulties  will  still  arise, 
and  that  the  event  (though  I  am  ready  to  confess  the 
prospect  is  tolerably  fair,)  is  far  from  being  ascertained. 
Pray  check  this  too  eager  hope ;  it  is  not  to  be  justified. 
We  may,  and  probably  shall,  have  peace,  but  not  soon, 
not  on  our  own  terms,  (I  mean  original  terms,)  and  it 
will  be  a  work  of  labour  and  altercation  to  obtain  some, 
not  very  different  from  them. 

Do  not,  in  return  for  my  taxing  you  with  being  too 
sanguine,  retort  upon  me  by  saying  that  I  am  despondent. 
It  is  not  so  ;  I  also  am  sanguine,  but  without  the  too. 
Still  less  suppose  me  shrinking  from  the  business,  fearful 
of  being  plagued  and  perplexed,  and  disposed  for  the  sake 
of  finishing  the  business  soon,  to  finish  it  ill.  On  the 
contrary,  I  pledge  myself  to  fight  desperately  every  inch 
in  the  East  and  West ;  to  cavil  at  the  ninth  pari  of  a 
hair  ;  to  wrangle  till  I  am  hoarse  for  titles,  dignity, 
treaties,  ships,  and  what  not  ;    nay  to  live  on  patiently 


1797]  LISLE.  465 

at  Lisle  for  the  sake  of  maintaiuing  the  smallest  portion 
of  either  of  these.  I  only  wish  for  my  own  sake  not  to 
indulge  the  false  hope,  that  a  very  difficult  task,  as  it 
first  presented  itself,  is  now  likely  to  become  a  smooth 
and  easy  one ;  and  you  will  readily  suppose,  I  am  on 
every  account  anxious  that  this  should  not  be  admitted 
on  your  side  the  water  as  a  likely  contingency, 

I  laboured,  with  the  help  of  G.  Ellis,  my  separate  de- 
spatch of  to-day,  in  hopes  that  it  may  serve  as  a  diver- 
sion to  all  our  private  and  confidential  intelligence,  and 
be  brought  forward  as  sufficient  to  explain  what  has  ap- 
peared mysterious  to  those  who  have  a  right  to  read  my 
official  correspondence  ;  at  all  events,  this  messenger  will 
not,  I  think,  carry  over  any  materials  for  a  cabinet  dis- 
cussion.'"" 

The  Portuguese  peace  is  a  very  sufficient  reason  for  my 
sending  him,  and  no  other  reason  need  be  alleged.  I  hope, 
(observe  here,  /  ho2:)e,)  that  soon  I  shall  have  something 
officially  decisive,  and  then,  if  it  squares  tolerably  with 
what  I  have  heard  ex-officially,  /  see  no  reason  why  as 
much  of  this  ex-official  intelligence  should  not  be  commu- 
nicated to  the  Cabinet,  as  is  wanted  for  fair  delibera- 
tion. The  great  things  to  be  concealed  are  names,  and 
such  facts  as  may  lead  to  the  prejudice  or  danger  of 
individuals,  either  now  or  at  any  future  period,  with- 
out being  essentially  necessary  for  the  public  advantage, 
and  /  am  sure  this  consideration  luill  never  be  lost 
sight  of 

Nothing  would  vex  me  so  much,  because  I  think 
notliing  would  be  more  unwise,  or  more  undignified,  as 
our  involving  ourselves  and  our  interests  again  with 
Austria.!  We  have  done  even  more  than  our  duty  towards 
Austria,  while  Austria  has  totally  forgotten  what  she  owed 


*  Ail  the  Cabinet,  excepting  Pitt  and  Lord  Grenville,  were  kept  in  igno- 
rance of  Lord  Malmesbury's  most  important  despatches,  and  he  was  obliged 
to  write  one  for  the  whole  Cabinet,  and  another  for  Lord  Grenville.  Can- 
ning complains  often  of  the  difficnlty  he  had  in  keeping  up  this  game. — 
Harris'  Papers. 

t  Mr.  Canning  wrote  to  Lord  Malmesbury  that  at  this  time  Thugut  (prime 
minister  at  Vienna)  began  to  perceive  that  his  Court  had  the  worst  of  it,  and 
hinted  to  ours  that  he  should  be  glad  to  see  Austria  a.ssisting  our  Negotiation. 

VOL.  in.  2  H 


4G6  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [1797- 

to  US.  We  have  now  the  most  respectable  story  to  tell ; 
but  if  we  again  commit  ourselves  with  the  Court  of 
Vienna,  we  shall  be  like  an  old  Dutch  ambassador  with 
whom  I  was  acquainted,  who,  after  having  divorced  his 
wife  for  the  most  notorious  misbehaviour,  intrigued  with 
her  and  ruined  his  constitution.  I  am  sure  you  will 
agree  with  me,  particularly  after  what  we  have  heard  of 
Thugut  this  morning.  In  regard  to  the  other  Imperial 
Court,  I  think  we  cannot  be  too  attentive  to  it,  as  we 
may  have  to  want  its  assistance,  or  at  least  interference. 

I  scarce  know  whether  to  be  glad  or  sorry  for  the  peace 
with  Portugal.     D'Aranjo  seems  to  have  given  a  great  la- 
titude to  his  instructions.     Conversing  last  night  on  this 
peace  with  Le  Tourneur  in  their  box  at  the  play,  (you  see 
we  now  begin  to  associate,)  he  said,  "  Qu'il  me  f^licitait 
de  cet   evenement,   puisqu'il  nous  debarrassoit   de    nos 
Allies,  et  c^u'll  voudrait  pouvoir  se  debarrasser  des  leurs." 
I  said,  "  Donnez  les  nous,  nous  en  aurons  soin."     On  re- 
turning  to   the   charge,    and   saying   seriously  that   he 
thought  this  event  a  favourable  one  for  our  Negotiation, 
I  said,  "  Que  de  mon  naturel  je  voyois  assez  volontiers 
couleur  de  rose."     His  answer  was  very  odd,  "  ]\Ia  foi !  si 
vous  eticz  Francois  dans  ce  moment,  vous  auriez  bien  de 
la  peine  a  en  trouver  de  tel  c6t6  que  vous  regardassiez." 
He  went  on  by  saying,  "  A  croire  M.  Thugut  nous  aurons 
bientot  la  paix  avec  I'Autriche.     UEmpereur   n'insiste 
plus  sur  uu  Congres.     II  laisse  aux  petits  Princes  de 
TEurope  les  soins  de   demeler   leurs  interets   apr^s   et 
comme  ils  pourront,  et  j'esp^re,"  added  he,  "  ne  pas  sortir 
des  portes  de  Lille  que  la  paix  g^n(^rale  ne  soit  faite." 
You  may  guess  my  answer  ;  but  perhaps  you  cannot  guess 
why  my  next  question  to  him  was,  How  far  it  was  from 
Paris  to  Madrid  ?     He  replied,  "  Ah  !  je  vous  voir  venir  ; 
vous  croyez  que  nous  attendions  le  retour  d'un  courier 
d'Espagne, — point  du  tout.     Les  difficultes  ne  viendront 
pas  de  ce  cote  la  ;  ce  sont  ces  maudits  Hollandois  qui  font 
les  reveches."  I  said,  "Mais  mettez  les  k  la  raison."   "  Aussi 
le  ferons  nous,"  answered  Sir  Gregory,""'  "  s'ils  ne  veuillent 

*  Sir  Grcgorij  was  the  nickname  given  to  Le  Tourneur.  when  mentioned 


1797.]  LISLE.  467 

pas  I'entendre  tous  seuls."  Maret  was  near  us,  and  heard 
all  he  said  without  contradicting  it.  This,  you  will  say, 
was  odd  conversation  during  a  play  in  a  box  with  twenty 
people,  l3ut  we  were  not  overheard  ;  and  as  it  was  the  first 
time  I  had  visited  them  and  their  ladies  in  the  box,  and 
as  it  was  a  crowded  night,  being  Sunday,  and  as  I  had 
my  large  star  on,  and  as  our  intercourse  appeared  familiar 
and  cordial,  you  cannot  conceive  how  much  it  struck  the 
whole  house,  and  I  am  much  mistaken  if  you  do  not  see 
a  very  fine  article  about  it  in  the  papers. 

You  will  perceive,  as  I  do  not  write  to  Mr.  Pitt,  that  I 
take  it  for  granted  this  letter  will  be  shown  to  him.  I 
should  have  written  precisely  the  same,  although  perhaps 
with  a  little  more  care  and  attention  to  him.  G.  Ellis 
has  shown  me  his  letter  to  you.  We  never  compare 
what  we  mean  to  say,  before  it  is  actually  said  and  put 
on  paper,  and  I  am  glad  to  find  that  we  always  jump  as 
great  wits  ought  to  do. 


MR.  ELLIS'S   ACCOUNT    OF    HIS    INTERVIEWS    WITH    M.  PEIN. 

DRAWN    UP    BY    HIM    FOR    LORD    MALMESBURY. 

Monday,  31st  July,  1797. — I  had  this  afternoon  a 
message  from  Pein,  desiring  to  see  me  as  soon  as  possible, 
and  we  met  at  half-past  six.  He  told  me  that  his  friendf 
had  received  a  very  important  letter  from  Paris,  which  he 
had  been  very  anxious  to  discuss  with  me  as  soon  as  pos- 
sible ;  but  that  having  been  obliged  to  dine  with  Le 
Tourneur,  whom  it  was  necessary  to  keep  completely  in 
the  dark,  and  whose  jealousy  was  extremely  watchful,  he 
had,  not  ventured  to  send  to  me  at  three  o'clock,  when  the 
letter  arrived.  The  news  it  contained,  he  said,  would  dis- 
appoint me,  as  it  had  disappointed  him :  the  Directory  re- 


in the  English  official  correspondence.  Pein  was  called  Henry,  Maret 
William,  Talleyrand  Edwai'd,  &c.  I  have  restored  their  real  names,  to  pre- 
vent confusion.  f  Maret. 

2  H   2 


408  DIARIES  AND  CORRESPONDENCE.  [l797. 

fused  to  give  way ;  but  while  they  did  so,  shewed  their 
anxiety  not  to  break  off  the  Negotiation  entirel}^  since 
ihey  had  recourse  to  an  expedient, — a  very  shabby  one,  in- 
deed ;  but  such  an  expedient  might,  if  we  thought  fit, 
still  leave  some  hopes  of  peace.  They  were  too  proud  to 
retract,  but  at  the  same  time  had  invited  the  Dutch  to  send 
immediately  some  Plenipotentiaries  to  Paris,  in  hopes  that 
these  Ministers  would  advise  them  to  make  such  conces- 
sions on  the  part  of  Holland  as  should  be  absolutely  ne- 
cessary. That  the  Bishop  of  Autun  had  written  on  this 
subject  to  his  friend  only,  informing  him  that  he  would 
keep  back  the  messenger  to  the  Legation  for  twenty-four 
hours,  in  order  to  give  him  a  chance  of  making  use  of  the 
communication  ;  that  in  this  interval  he  might  consult 
with  us,  and  then  despatch  to  Noel,  the  French  ]\Iinister 
at  the  Hague,  (who  was  directed  to  pay  the  greatest  atten- 
tion to  his  advice,)  to  urge  him  to  procure,  if  possible, 
such  instructions  for  the  Plenipotentiaries  as  might  ulti- 
mately lead  to  peace.  He  said  his  friend  had  written  a 
note  on  this  subject  to  Lord  Malmesbury,  which  he  would 
first  read  to  me,  and  then  put  into  my  hands,  desiring  me 
to  copy  and  return  it  to  him  ;'"'  and  he  begged  me  to  give 
him  a  written  answer  from  myself,  after  consulting  with 
Lord  Malmesbury,  which  he  would  in  the  same  manner 
return  after  communicating  it  to  his  friend.  That  the 
letter  to  Noel  f  must  be  written  during  the  night,  and 
sent  off  at  five  o'clock  this  morning,  when  the  gates  would 
be  open,  and  consequently  a  messenger  might  depart 
without  notice,  which  was  necessary  in  order  to  avoid 
giving  umbrage  to  Le  Tourneur. 

When  he  came  to  that  part  of  the  note  which  requests 
a  communication  in  confidence  of  our  ultimatum,  he  said, 
"  Je  vous  prie  de  croire  que  mon  ami  sent  comme  vous  la 
delicatesse  d'une  pareille  demande.  JMais  enfin,  on  ne 
croit  pas  que  votre  premier  projet  soit  votre  dernier  mot. 
J  avoue  que  quand  cela  seroit,  on  ne  sauroit  trouver  vos 
pretentions  exagger^es — mais  si  cela  n'est  pas,  s'il  vous 

'^  This  note  has  been  given,  page  440. 

t  Noel  was  Frencli  Ambassador  at  tlie  Hague. 


1797.]  LISLE.  469 

est  permis  de  vous  relacher  un  peu,  d'accorder  quelque 
facilites  ;  il  s'agit  de  savoir  si  vous  avez  assez  de  con- 
fiance  dans  la  probite  de  mon  ami '''  pour  lui  confier  votre 
secret,  afin  qu'il  puisse  de  son  c6t6  prendre  les  mesures 
les  plus  propres  a.  faciliter  votre  marclie." 

After  he  had  told  me  all  he  had  to  say  without  any 
interruption,  I  answered  him  that  I  would  willingly 
take  the  note  to  Lord  Malmesbury,  and  would  promise  a 
written  answer  on  the  same  terms;  but  that  I  could  tell 
him  beforehand,  this  answer  could  not  possibly  quite 
meet  the  wishes  of  his  friend.  "  You  must  consider,"  I 
said,  "our  present  situation;  this  is  not  our  first  offer  of 
peace.  Your  Directory  affected  to  believe  our  first  offers 
insincere;  they  would  willingly  persuade  the  world  that 
we  do  not  now  wish  for  peace;  but  you  know  this  is 
impossible, — you  know  that  if  we  now  broke  off  the  Nego- 
tiation, they  would  incur  in  the  eyes  of  Europe  the  whole 
responsibility.  They  wished  us  to  admit,  as  a  principle, 
the  inalienability  of  all  that  they  chose  to  call  a  part  of 
their  empire :  we  did  not,  and  could  not  do  this, — not 
because  this  was  humiliating,  but  because  it  was  absurd  ; 
but  we  did  what  was  better  for  them,  we  consented  to 
take  no  notice  of  the  folly  of  the  principle,  and  acquiesced 
in  the  inference.  They  admitted  the  principle  of  cotn- 
pensation ;  they  now  deny  it.  You  know  they  are  not, 
and  cannot  be  bound,  even  by  secret  articles,  to  demand 
the  restitution  of  our  conquests  from  the  Dutch.  But 
having  advanced  an  assertion  in  the  face  of  all  Europe, 
which  all  Europe  knows  not  to  be  true,  they  will  not 
recede.  What  is  to  be  the  consequence  if  we  break  off 
the  Negotiation  ?  Will  the  French  Legislature  and  the 
French  nation  consider  the  cause  of  the  Directory  as 
a  just  cause  ?  Will  they  devote  their  lives  and  fortunes  in 
the  prosecution  of  a  war,  which  has  no  longer  a  national 
object  \  You  admit  that  this  is  not  very  certain  ;  you 
admit  it  is  certain  that  France  would  incur  much  more 
than  her  natural  share  of  misery  from  the  continuation  of 
the  war — nay,  you  urge  this  as  a  plea  to  induce  us  to 

*  Maret. 


470  DIARIES   AND  CORRESPONDENCE.  [l797. 

make  further  sacrifices.      But  surely  this  argument  ought 
to  weigh  a  little  with  your  own  Directory  T 

He  said  all  this  was  very  true ;  but  convinced  that  we, 
too,  were  sincerely  desirous  of  peace,  he  wished  to  know 
whether  we  would  make  any  further  sacrifice  in  order  to 
obtain  it.  "  You  know,"  said  he,  "  that  the  legislative 
body  gains  ground  every  day ;  that  the  majority  of  the 
Directory  (and  it  is  only  to  that  majority  that  your 
reasoning  applies)  grow  weaker  in  the  same  proportion  : 
consequently,  every  day  that  the  Negotiation  continues 
advances  your  cause.  You  best  know  how  far  you  have 
any  confidence  in  my  friend ;  you  know  how  far  you  wish, 
and  how  far  it  is  in  your  power,  to  co-operate  with  him. 
The  Directory  have,  in  their  distress  for  money,  very 
meanly,  very  foolishly,  perhaps  very  unconstitutionally 
'pledged  themselves  to  the  Dutch,  to  procure  the  resti- 
tution of  all  your  conquests.  Perhaps  this  money  trans- 
action cannot  be  defended  under  the  terms  of  the  Consti- 
tution as  a  secret  article  of  a  treaty.  Of  this  you  are 
certain,  that  they  will  not  break  off  immediately,  nor 
force  you  to  break  off  immediately.  Judge  for  yourselves  ; 
tell  me  your  decision.  What  passes  between  us  is  not 
binding — it  is  not  public  or  avowed,  it  is  nothing  till  it  is 
avowed  by  your  Cabinet,  till  Lord  Malmesbury  receives 
orders  to  act  in  consequence  at  his  conferences  with  the 
French  Legation." 

I  told  him  that  Lord  Malmesbury's  instructions  were 
positive  ;  that  our  first  object  had  been  to  evince  our 
sincerity  by  the  reasonableness  of  our  proposals  ;  that  as 
to  Ceylon,  any  definitive  demand  of  that  island  would 
show  a  determination  of  depriving  us  of  all  means  of 
defence  in  the  East  Indies,  where  we  have  no  other  port ; 
and  that  such  a  demand  could  only  be  dictated  by  the 
previous  desire  of  re-commencing  the  war  in  that  country 
as  soon  as  the  finances  of  France  should  enable  her  to 
send  a  fleet  there.  That  the  Cape,  I  was  very  sure,  was 
not  an  object  of  profit  to  any  nation  ;  that  it  was  neces- 
sary, like  Ceylon,  for  the  preservation  of  our  territory; 
and  that  from  the  little  I  had  heard  on  the  sul)ject,  I  saw 
no  reason  for  believing  that  we  attached  such  importance 


1797]  LISLE.  471 

to  it,  as  to  let  it  stand  in  the  way  of  the  attainment  of 
any  great  national  object,  but  that  it  was  ours  at  present, 
and  I  had  not  yet  heard  a  shadow  of  reason  why  we 
should  part  with  it.  Lastly,  that  our  demand  of  Cochin 
was  only  in  return  for  Negapatam,  which  was,  1  conceived, 
of  much  higher  value  to  the  Dutch.  Here  he  said,  with 
much  eagerness,  "  Vous  m'etonnez  beaucoup.  Oh  !  si 
vous  vouliez  rendre  le  Cap,  je  suis  persuade  qu'il  ne  tien- 
drait  qu'i\  vous  de  signer  la  paix  dans  quinze  jours."  I 
told  him  that  Lord  Malmesbury  could  not  consent  to  any 
such  thing — that  he  was  to  remember  I  had  only  spoken 
my  private  opinion,  that  his  proposal  to  me  was  in  three 
words,  only  a  proposal  to  gain  time,  to  which  I  was  per- 
suaded Lord  Malmesbury,  from  his  confidence  in  his 
friend,  would  consent,  and  that  I  would  go  immediately 
and  bring  him  a  written  answer  to  his  note.  "  But," 
said  he,  "  if  we  put  the  answer,  which  will  come 
from  the  Directory  to-morrow,  into  civil  words,  will  you 
answer  it  civilly,  and  wait  V  I  said,  "  Certainly."  "  But 
your  Cabinet  will  think  we  are  doing  nothing.  Will  you 
send  over  a  confidential  person  (for  we  must  intreat  you 
not  to  write)  who  will  explain  verbally,  dans  le  tiiyau  de 
I'oreille  de  voire  Ministre,  that  Lord  Malmesbury  and  my 
friend  are  jointly  labouring  on  the  same  subject,  and  that 
unpromising  as  the  Negotiation  now  appears,  we  have 
still  great  hopes  of  concluding  it  by  an  honourable  peace. 
I  told  him  I  did  not  see  the  present  state  of  things  in 
so  flattering  a  light  as  he  seemed  to  do,  but  that  Lord 
Malmesbury  luould  send  over  a  confidential  person.  I 
then  left  him,  and  at  ten  o'clock  at  night  returned  to  him 
with  Lord  Malmesbury's  note,  which  I  delivered  to  him, 
and  which  he  is  to  restore  to  me  this  morning.  Nothing 
new  passed  between  us  during  the  few  minutes  that  I 
walked  with  him  on  the  esplanade. 


Tuesday,  Aug.  1. — I  called  on  Pein  this  morning, 
when  he  returned  my  note.  He  said  that  his  friend  had 
written  to  Noel  in  conformity  to  what  we  had  agreed  on, 
stating  that  he  was  desired  by  Talleyrand  to  insist  on 


472  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [l797. 

the  necessity  of  some  complaisauce  on  the  part  of  Hol- 
land, to  remark  that  it  was  probable  no  future  oppor- 
tunity of  making  peace  would  be  so  favourable  as  the 
present;  that  the  penury  of  the  French  finances  was  no- 
torious ;  that  it  was  impossible  for  the  Directoiy  to  look 
forward  to  the  formation  of  such  a  marine  as,  with  the 
fullest  assistance  from  Spain,  aided  by  the  navy  of  the 
Batavian  Republic,  could  face  that  of  England  ;  that  the 
whole  navy  of  Holland,  being  now  blocked  up  by  a  small 
English  squadron,  and  that  of  Spain  by  a  fleet  far  infe- 
rior in  number — the  Brest  squadron,  whatever  might  be 
its  spirit  of  enterprise,  could  do  nothing  ;  that  the  re- 
mainder of  the  Dutch  colonies  must  probably  soon  fall. 
That  the  Directory  was  ready  to  go  all  lengths  for  the 
purpose  of  fulfilling  its  treaties,  but  that  the  Dutch  must 
feel  the  difficulty  of  continuing  a  war  which  must  hence- 
forward become  a  naval  war,  without  money  or  ships,  or 
effective  allies,  and  contrary  to  the  decided  wishes  of  all 
Europe  and  the  French  nation. 

I  told  him  all  this  was  very  good  sense,  and  I  trusted 
it  would  be  listened  to  with  attention,  but  that  it 
was  impossible  seriously  to  suppose  for  a  moment  that 
the  Directory,  if  truly  desirous  of  peace,  were  unable 
to  force  the  Dutch  to  compliance.  That  in  his  con- 
versation of  yesterday  he  liad  stated  a  circumstance 
to  which  I  had  not  at  that  moment  time  enougli  to 
make  any  reply,  being  so  much  pressed  by  the  ne- 
cessity of  procuring  the  quickest  possible  answer  to  his 
friend's  note;  but  that  certainly  the  Directory  were 
not  bound  to  the  performance  of  the  secret  articles  by 
which  they  pretended  to  be  confined,  since  it  was  absurd 
to  suppose  that  any  such  money  transactions  as  he  had  al- 
luded to  could  have  been  kept  secret  in  Holland.  He  said, 
"  You  certainly  misunderstood  me.  The  sum  of  money 
to  which  I  alluded  is  mentioned  in  the  public  articles. 
Great  part  of  it  has  not  been  paid,  and  in  our  distress  we 
want  that  money  extremely.  It  was  stipulated  in  a  secret 
article,  that  we  should  compensate  for  the  large  sum  de- 
manded by  obtaining  from  you  the  restitution  of  all  you 
had  taken,  or  might  take  from  them.     How  can  we  now 


1797.]  LISLE.  473 

press  for  payment  on  one  side,  and  refuse  tlie  condition 
to  which  we  had  bound  ourselves  1     It  is  for  this  reason 
that  address  is  necessary.     If  the  Plenipotentiaries  were 
now  at  Paris,  invested  with  full  powers,  it  would  be  easy 
for  Talleyrand  to  carry  his  point  with  them.     But  the 
Dutch  are  aware  of  this,  and  it  is  therefore  that  Noel's 
commission  is  so  difficult.     I  answered,  "  In  this  case,  why 
did  the  Directory,  in  November  last,  agree  to  the  prin- 
ciple of  mutual  compensation,  and  why  did  they  lately 
propose  to  treat  in  the  name,  and  on  the  part  of  their 
Allies,  since  it  appears  by  what  you  now  say,  if  I  under- 
stand you   right,   that  you  had  not,  and  have  not  full 
powers'?     His    answer   was   rather    extraordinary,    "  Je 
pourrais  vous  remarquer  en  general  que  le   Directoire 
ne  sait  ce  qu'il  dit.     D'ailleurs,  pour  repondre  a  votre 
premiere  question,  le  Directoire  ne  voulait  pas  le  paix,  il 
voulait  savoir  votre  dernier  mot,  decouvrir  ou  se  bornaient 
vos  pretentions ;  vous  faire  une  querelle  d'Allemand,  et  vous 
renvoyer.     Quant  a  la  seconde,  il  a  encore  agi  sottement. 
II   esperait   dominer   les  circonstances,  et   il   se  trouve 
domine  par  elles.      Vos  objections  sont  sans  r^plique. 
Mais  que  voulez-vous  ?  la  paix  1     Je  vous  avals  d^ja  dit 
des  notre  premier  entretien,   que  le  biais   qu'on  vient 
d'imaginer  pourroit  nous  y  mener,  et  je  le  crois  encore, 
pourvCi  que  vous  y  consentiez.     Le  moyen  que  nous  em- 
ployons  nous  fait  pen  d'honneur,  il  est  vrai,  mais  que 
vous  importe  s'il  vous  mene  ou  vous  voulez  arriver  V 

I  thought  that  nothing  could  be  added  to  these  remarks, 
and  therefore,  changing  the  subject,  I  obsorved  to  him, 
that  his  friend's  note  of  yesterday  requested,  and  indeed 
stipulated,  perfect  secrecy  on  the  part  of  Lord  Malmes- 
bury,  and  that  this  secrecy  would,  I  was  afraid,  defeat  the 
whole  object  that  his  friend  had  in  view.  That  while 
the  Directory  insisted  on  keeping  such  untenable  ground, 
I  could  not  guess  how  his  friend  could  frame  an  osten- 
sible answer,  that  should  at  all  convey  the  spirit  of  his 
private  assurances.  That  Lord  Malmesbury,  acting  under 
orders  which  had  been  submitted  to  the  confidential  ser- 
vants of  His  Majesty,  must  satisfy  the  Cal)inet  that  he 
was  not  so  far.  hurried  away  by  his  private  wishes  for 


474  DIARIEa   AND   CORRESPOISDENCE.  [l797. 

peace,  as  to  act  in  opposition  to  those  orders.  He  inter- 
rupted me  here,  and  said,  "  Certainly  ;  we  will  take  care 
that  the  communication  which  we  shall  make  to  you  will 
not  put  you  under  the  necessity  of  breaking  off  the  Nego- 
tiation; it  shall  express  that  the  Directory  will  consult 
with  our  Allies;  and  this  will  give  Lord  Malmesbury  an 
opportunity  of  taking  our  answer  if  he  pleases,  ad  refer- 
endum. If  Noel  should  succeed  in  his  commission,  which 
we  shall  know  in  a  few  hours,  it  will  then  be  for  your 
Cabinet  to  determine  what  instructions  they  Avill  give 
you  on  the  subject,  and  to  relax  or  desist  in  their  pre- 
sent demands.  You  are  hitherto  bound  to  nothing.  If 
this  cause  were  pleaded  before  a  jury  of  Frenchmen,  be- 
fore the  whole  French  nation,  they  would  certainly  think 
your  present  demands  very  fair,  because  it  is  certainly 
just  that  your  gains  by  the  war  should  be  in  some  mea- 
sure proportionate  to  ours.  I  have  already  explained  to 
you  that  the  Directory  are  perfectly  unlike  such  a  jury, 
but  you  can  lose  nothing  by  a  little  delay.  The  strength 
of  the  Directory  sinks  every  hour."  I  said  this  might  be 
true,  but  that  I  could  conceive  the  Directory  might  in 
some  respects  be  great  gainers  by  delay  ;  that  the  signa- 
ture of  the  Definitive  Treaty  with  Austria,  for  instance — 
He  interrupted  me  and  said,  "  The  mere  approach  of 
peace  has  given  strength  to  the  Councils,  and  every  addi- 
tional step  towards  it  must  add  to  their  strength.  The 
wish  for  peace  is,  as  you  know,  universal  in  France,  and 
has  long  been  so  ;  but  the  many  complicated  interests 
which  it  would  have  been  necessary  to  reconcile,  had  we 
negotiated  when  we  had  Austria  and  all  Germany  for  our 
enemies,  would  have  eternally  offered  new  subterfuges  to 
the  Directory.  The  question  is  now  become  so  plain, 
that  they  will  very  soon  have  no  means  of  evading  it." 
I  replied,  that  though  this  did  not  quite  satisfy  my 
mind,  it  was  not  necessary  for  me  to  make  any  more 
remarks  on  the  subject.  "But,"  said  I,  "  why  should  you 
give  in  any  written  declaration  at  all "?  why  not  ask  for 
a  Conference'?  You  must  feel  that  your  Note,  word  it  as 
you  will,  cannot  meet  all  the  objections  stated  to  you  in 
our  last.     It  is  notorious  that  you  did  invite  us  to  treat 


1797.]  LISLE.  475 

with  you  as  Plenipotentiaries  for  your  Allies  ;  you  now 
say  you  are  not  so.  Why  put  this  proof  of  your  evasion 
on  paper  1  Besides,  this  want  of  notes  is  ridiculous.  It 
would  be  better  that  our  Court  should  correspond  with 
yours,  as  you  proposed  last  year,  by  couriers.  We  at  least 
should  be  so  much  better  amused  in  London  than  at  Lisle. 
Cannot  your  friend  explain  to  Le  Tourneur  that  he  is 
making  himself  the  most  ridiculous  of  all  ex-directors,  and 
that  part  of  the  business  of  a  negotiation  is  to  negotiate  V 
He  answered  that  he  would  not  fail  to  convey  the  pro- 
posal to  Maret,  and  that  he  agreed  in  opinion  with 
me.  I  then  said,  "  You  have  hitherto  taken  no  notice 
either  of  Spain  or  Portugal,  and  yet  the  last  instructions 
of  the  Directory  relate  to  the  interests  of  Spain  as  well 
as  those  of  Holland."  He  replied,  "  C'est  vrai ;  mais  ne 
vous  inquietez  pas  sur  I'Espagne,  nous  saurons  bien  la 
mener  oii  vous  voulons.  Ce  n'est  pas  qu'elle  ne  soit  hon- 
netement  deraisonnable,  ce  n'est  pas  I'embarras  !  Cabarras 
a  bien  remis  aux  Directoire  des  pretentions  excessives,  et 
Del  Campo  s'evertue  depuis  quelque  temps  pour  qu'on  y 
fasse  un  pen  d'attention;  mais  on  trouve  tout  cela  si 
absurde  qu'on  ne  songe  seulement  pas  a  y  repondre. 
Non  vous  pouvez  etre  tranquille  1^  dessus."  In  faith,  I 
did  not  think  it  necessary  to  make  any  comment  on  this 
whimsical  and  laconic  answer,  but  again  pressed  him  on 
the  subject  of  Portugal,  observing  to  him  that  the  inte- 
grity of  the  Portuguese  possessions  was  so  much  a  sine 
qua  non,  that  if  he  foresaw  any  difficulty  on  that  subject 
he  had  better  save  himself  and  me  any  further  trouble  by 
stating  it,  as  that  would  certainly  compel  us  to  put  an 
end  to  the  Negotiation.  He  said,  "  Non  Le  Portugal  ne 
sera  jamais  un  accroc,  si  les  int^rets  des  Bataves  s'arrau- 
gent,  vous  pouvez  compter  que  nous  arriverons  sans  diffi- 
cult^s  considerables  a  la  paix."  Our  conversation  ended 
by  his  telling  me,  that  the  courier  not  being  yet  arrived, 
we  should  do  well  to  meet  to-morrow  at  the  same  hour, 
and  that  he  would  not  fail  to  communicate  to  me  in  time 
the  substance  of  the  instructions  that  should  arrive  in 
order  that  the  two  Plenipotentiaries  might  perfectly  un- 
derstand each  other  before  the  conference. 


476  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [l797. 

Wednesday,  Aug.  2.— I  met  Pein  this  day  at  the  usual 
hour,  when  he  told  me  the  despatches  from  the  Directory 
were  not  yet  arrived,  and  that  they  would  not  arrive  till 
Friday,  because  they  were  to  come  by  the  common  post, 
and  not  by  a  special  courier.  He  said  Maret  and  Le 
Tourneur  had  received  private  letters  from  Carnot  and 
from  Guiraudet,  but  that  these  letters  contained  nothing 
beyond  what  we  knew,  except  that  the  present  delay  had 
been  owing  to  the  ceremonies  and  forms  of  the  reception 
of  the  Turkish  Ambassador,  which  had  prevented  the  Di- 
rectory and  Minister  for  Foreign  Affairs  from  meeting  in 
time  to  sign  the  despatches.  I  told  him  that  such  an  ex- 
cuse was  not  very  honourable  to  any  of  the  persons  con- 
cerned, because  it  did  not  evince  the  impatient  desire  of 
putting  a  stop,  at  the  first  possible  moment,  to  the  cala- 
mities of  Europe,  which  the  French  Government  were  so 
much  in  the  habit  of  proclaiming.  "  But,"  said  I,  "  since 
this  delay,  which  I  regret  for  many  reasons,  is  unavoida- 
ble, I  wish  you  would  endeavour  to  turn  it  to  some  ad- 
vantage. You  have  assured  me  repeatedly,  and  I  hope 
with  truth,  that  the  interests  of  Holland  are  the  only 
serious  obstacles  to  the  conclusion  of  peace  ;  that  it  is  the 
only  point  on  which  the  fidl  powers  of  your  Legation  are 
incompetent,  the  only  point  which  necessarily  requires  a 
reference  to  the  Directory.  Now,  I  am  perfectly  satisfied 
that  you  do  not  wish  to  deceive  me  ;  I  hope  you  do  me 
the  same  justice  :  but  this  conviction  on  your  part,  and  on 
mine,  can  in  no  way  satisfy  the  English  Cabinet;  they  will 
and  ouglit  to  require  proof,  and  this  proof  it  is  in  your 
power  to  furnish.  I  wish  you  to  press  this  on  your  friend 
Maret,  and  you  will  now  have  full  leisure  to  do  it.  If 
the  present  difficulty  were  at  this  moment  removed,  it  is 
evident  that  the  remaining  articles  will  require  some  dis- 
cussion, some  time  before  they  can  be  arranged.  I  will 
suppose  that  the  interests  of  Spain  and  of  Portugal,  the 
articles  respecting  the  renewal  of  treaties,  the  King's 
titles,  the  Toulon  sliips,  &c.,  are  all  subaltern  objects, 
still  it  is  evident  that  they  are  not  without  difficulty, 
because  your  Legation  began  by  making  difficulties  about 
them.     There  are  also  many  points  of  detail  to  be  ar- 


1797  J  LISLE.  477 

ranged,   particularly  those    respecting  the   West  Indies, 
which  will  require  much  patient  and  deliberate  investiga- 
tion.    You  are  sensible  that  the  wild  spirit  of  innovation 
and  revolutions   has  created  in  the  colonies  numberless 
evils,  which  the  whole  power  of  our  two  Governments, 
employed  in  its  fullest   extent  and    directed  with    the 
utmost  wisdom,   will  with    difficulty  remove.     Let  the 
respective  Legations,   therefore,  occupy  themselves,  pro- 
visionally at  least,  with  tliese  articles.     If,  as  you  say, 
these  points  are  easily  settled,  are  you  not  sensible  of  the 
immense  advantages  that  would  attend  the  settling  them 
as  soon  as  possible  1     Is   it  not  evident  that  the  two 
Legations  would,  in  the  course  of  these  discussions,  neces- 
sarily get  rid  of  that  jealousy  and  distrust  which  must 
necessarily  subsist  at  first  between  the  representatives  of 
rival  powers  1     Is  it  not  evident  that  they  would  become 
mutually  anxious  for  the  completion  of  a  work  in  which 
they  were  far  advanced  ?    Would  they  not  suggest  mutual 
facilities,  and  assist  each  other  in  making  the  most  fa- 
vorable  impressions   on  their  respective    Governments "? 
Besides,  the  question  would  stand  very  differently  from 
what  it  now  does,  if  you  could  say  to  the  friends  of  peace 
in  both  countries  '  All  difficulties  but  one  are  now  re- 
moved, a  single  step  on  either  side  will  enable  you  to 
sign  the  peace/     It  is  no  longer  a  haughty  Directory 
advancing  an  absurd  and  inadmissible  claim  as  a  prelimi- 
nary to  all  negotiation,  stating  the  most  absurd  preten- 
sions in  the  most  offensive  form,  but  a  Government  ex- 
pressing its  desire  of  peace  while  it  alleges  the  stipula- 
tions of  treaties  as  an  excuse  for  not  going  all  lengths  in 
order  to  obtain  it."     He  listened  to  this  very  attentively, 
and  promised  to  communicate  it  to  his  friend,  and  then 
said,  after  some  hesitation,  "  Why  does  not  Lord  Malmes- 
bury  make  this  proposal  V    I  said,  "  He  wished  to  do  so  ; 
but  it  is  essential  that  he  should  first  secure  your  friend's 
co-operation.     If  your  Legation  should  reject  so  just  and 
reasonable  a  proposal,  would   it  not  operate  as  a  fresh 
affront  1    Would  it  not  show  that  your  friend,  however 
zealous  in  his  wishes  for  peace,  is  perfectly  unable  to  pro- 
•  mote  it  1     Would  it  not  efiectually  destroy  the  weight  of 


478  DIARIES   AND  CORRESPONDENCE.  [l797. 

every  argument  that  Lord  Malmesbury  can  urge  to  dis- 
suade our  Cabinet  from  breaking  off  the  Negotiation?" 
He  acquiesced  in  this,  and  again  promised  to  urge  this 
point  with  all  his  power. 

I  then  reverted  to  the  strange  conduct  of  the  Direc- 
tory, and  expressed  my  apprehension  that  Lord  Malmes- 
bury  would  be  unable  to  state  the  matter  at  home,  in 
such  a  way  as  to  convince  any  part  of  the  Cabinet  that 
there  remained  even  that  slight  hope  of  success  which 
his  friend  had  admitted  in  his  note  to  be  the  only  hope. 
He  immediately  said  with  great  eagerness,  "  I  feel  this  as 
strongly  as  you  do,  and  it  is  my  greatest  cause  of  anxiety. 
Certainly  if  the  Directory  sincerely  wished  for  peace,  they 
would  force  the  Dutch  to  withdraw  all  opposition,  pro- 
mising to  indemnify  them  for  the  sums  already  paid  to 
France,  as  soon  as  the  state  of  our  finances  should  permit 
it.      The   inhabitants  of  France  would  gladly  pay  for 
peace  almost  any  contributions, — indeed  they  know  that 
much  higher  contribution  must  be  exacted  from  them  if 
the  war  should  continue.     But   the   Directory  are  not 
sincere.     It  was  proposed  to  them  to  compel  the  Dutch 
to   come   to   terms  ;    the   proposal   was   rejected.      My 
friend  proposed  to  them  to  order  the  Dutch  Commissaries 
to  this  place,  where  lie  hoped  to  bring  them  to  terms ; 
this  too  was  rejected.     Talleyrand  proposed  to  appoint  a 
special  Minister  at  the  Hague  for  the  same  purpose,  and 
we  hoped  to  fix  the  choice  on  Simonville.     In  this,  too,  he 
failed.     All  he  could  obtain  after  the  Directory  had  or- 
dered the  Dutch  Ministers  to  repair  to  Paris,   was  tlie 
permission  to  send  some  fresh  instructions  to  Noel,  al- 
lco"ing  as  a  reason  for  it,  that  the  Directory  would  only 
make  themselves  ridiculous  by  affecting  to  consult  their 
Allies,  if  those  Allies  should  afterwards  appear  to  pay  no 
regard  to  their  remonstrances.     He  has  written  to  Noel, 
who  is  very  well  disposed;  he  has  referred  him  to  my 
friend  for  further  instructions,  and  we  too  have  written. 
Noel  I  am  sure  will  exert  himself  to  the  utmost ;  Talley- 
rand will  not  be  inactive  at  Paris.     We  may  expect  an 
answer  in  eight  days  from  the  Hague,  and  shall  then  be 
able  to  judge  whether  our  hopes  are  well  or  ill  founded. 


1797.]  LISLE.  479 

I  trust  we  shall  not  be  disappointed ;  but  if  we  should — " 
and  here  he  hesitated — "  il  faudra  nous  remettre  a  guer- 
royer."  As  I  wanted  to  know  exactly  what  his  ultimate 
expectation  was,  I  pretended  not  to  have  heard  this  last 
phrase  distinctly,  and  said  to  him  "  Comment '?  vous 
voulez  encore  continuer  la  guerre  1"  He  replied,  "  No, 
certainly;  we  have  still  means  of  success  in  our  power, 
means  which  the  Directory  seem  not  aware  of;  it  will  be 
very  disagreeable  to  employ  them,  but  they  must  be  tried 
if  all  others  fail.  The  moment  of  the  return  of  peace 
and  dismission  of  the  armies  must  be  the  moment  of  con- 
fusion and  civil  discord  if  we  have  not  a  strong  and  well 
regulated  Government,  if  we  cannot  put  an  end  to  that 
unfortunate  and  disgraceful  struggle,  which  the  majority 
in  the  Directory  so  foolishly  and  wickedly  desire  to  pro- 
voke between  the  constituted  authorities ;  but  even  at 
this  risk  we  must  defend  the  Constitution.  The  Direc- 
tory have  a  right  to  conclude  secret  articles  without  the 
immediate  participation  of  the  Councils,  but  the  Councils 
have  a  subsequent  right  to  demand  the  communication  of 
such  articles,  and  finally  to  break  them  if  they  appear 
incompatible  with  the  happiness  of  the  people.  Were  it 
otherwise,  it  would  be  in  the  power  of  the  Directory  to 
plunge  us  into  war,  which  they  might  render  endless  by 
means  of  secret  articles.  Sooner  than  submit  to  the  fur- 
ther continuance  of  the  present  war,  the  Council  of  Five 
Hundred  will  certainly  try  this  desperate  remedy,  but 
they  will  not  try  it  till  every  other  attempt  has  failed. 
Souvenez  vous,"  he  added,  "  que  je  vous  parle  a  coeur 
ouvert  et  sous  le  sceau  du  plus  profond  secret?  Les 
longueurs  de  cette  N^gociation  font  desesperer,  mais 
tachez  de  ne  pas  perdre  patience.  EUes  sent  accablantes 
pour  nous  aussi,  et — "  As  I  found  he  had  nothing  more 
of  importance  to  tell  me  I  interrupted  him  here  by  re- 
marking, that  what  he  had  just  said  proved  most  forcibly 
the  necessity  of  the  measure  I  had  recommended,  and 
that  if  he  could  show  to  the  Councils  and  the  nation  a 
treaty  depending  for  its  completion  on  the  removal  of 
one  single  difficulty,  and  that  difficulty  grounded  solely 
on  the  obstinacy  of  the  Directory,  the  friends  of  peace 


480  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [l797. 

and  the  Constitution  could  not  fail  of  success.  We  now- 
parted,  after  agreeing  to  meet  again  on  Friday,  and  to 
take  care  reciprocally  that  no  point  should  be  brought 
forward  for  litigation  at  any  conference  till  his  friend 
and  Lord  Malmesbury  should  have  had  an  opportunity 
of  concerting  the  means  that  might  be  necessary  to  re- 
move any  opposition  on  the  part  of  Le  Tourueur. 


Friday,  Aug.  4. — I  was  sent  for  this  morning  to  meet 
Pein ;  he  told  me  the  Despatches  were  arrived,  and  that 
the  French  Legation  had  sent  to  propose  a  Conference 
with  Lord  Malmesbury  to-day  at  one  or  two  o'clock, 
when  they  would  declare  to  him  officially  what  I  had  so 
often  heard  privately.  He  said  that  he  had  communi- 
cated to  his  friend  the  proposals  which  I  mentioned  in 
my  last  number ;  that  he  felt  as  strongly  as  we  could  do 
the  disagreeable  eflects  that  might  be  produced  by  the 
total  interruption  of  the  public  conferences,  and  that  it 
would  be  proposed  to  Lord  JVIalmesbury  to-day  to  meet 
on  every  post  day,  in  order  that,  although  neither  party 
should  have  anything  to  communicate,  they  might  not  let 
the  public  into  the  secret  of  their  inactivity.  But  he 
said,  his  friend  did  not  see  the  possibility  of  forming 
at  this  moment  any  contre-projH,  or  of  discussing  parti- 
cular articles  in  that  transmitted  by  Lord  JMalmesbury  ; 
indeed  the  very  arguments  he  had  used  would  sliow 
the  danger  of  attempting  it,  since  the  Directory  would 
never  sufier  us  to  bring  the  whole  Negotiation  to  one 
point,  and  thereby  show  that  the  continuance  of  the 
war,  if  it  should  be  continued,  was  owdng  solely  to 
an  obstacle  which  they  had  unconstitutionally  thrown 
in  the  way  of  peace.  I  did  not  press  tliis  any  fur- 
ther ;  and  he  continued,  "  Maret  has  received  to-day  a 
private  letter  from  Talleyrand,  which  gives  us  great 
hopes  of  success.  He  writes  word,  that  Lestevenon  is 
arrived  at  Paris,  that  he  has  seen  him,  and  is  perfectly 
sirtisficd  from  his  conversation  that  lie  may  be  easily 
brought  to  hear  reason.  I  have  no  doubt,  that  in  conse- 
quence of  NoePs  efforts  the  other  Commissioners  from 


1797.]  LISLE.  481 

Holland  will  be  equally  reasonable.     And,  in  the  mean 
time,   mj  friend  has  been,   I  hope,  usefully  employed. 
You  asked  me  the  other  day  about  Cabarras  :    do  you 
know  him  ? "     I  said,  No,  but  he  had  seen  Lord  Malmes- 
bury ;  and  I  gave  him  an  account  of  so  much  of  their 
conversation   as  I  had  been  desired  to  communicate  to 
him.     He  continued,  "  He  is  a  vain,  talkative  man,  with- 
out  abilities,    but   possessed    of    considerable   influence 
through   his   daughter,    (Madame   Tallien,)    who   is   the 
mistress  of  Barras,  and  he  has  it  in  his  power  to  be  of 
use  to  us ;    he  arrived  here  in  his  way  to  Amsterdam, 
where  he  is  appointed  to  transact  some  money  business. 
He  received,  a  few  hours  after  his  arrival  here,  a  Note  from 
Del  Campo,  by  a  courier,  stating  that  our  Government 
had  just  communicated  to  him  the  present  state  of  the 
Negotiation ;  that,  with  a  view  to  shew  their  respect  for 
the  engagements  contracted  with  their  Allies,  they  had 
for  the  present  suspended  all  discussion  on  the  articles  of 
the  British  pr^ojet ;    but  that  they  hoped   their  Allies 
would,    on  their  part,    consider  the  fatal  consequences 
likely  to  arise  to  all  parties  from  the  continuance  of  the 
war ;  and  that  they  Avould  not  render  such  a  continu- 
ance necessary  by  the  exorbitancy  of  their  pretensions. 
Cabarras  immediately  transmitted  this  Note  to  our  Lega- 
tion ;    and  Maret  waited  on  him  about  twelve   o'clock 
yesterday.     Knowing  the  vanity  of  the  man,  he  immedi- 
ately made  his  application  to  it.     He  wrote  to  the  com- 
mandant of  the  citadel  to  say  he  should  probably  have 
in  the  course  of  the  day  an  opportunity  of  introducing  to 
him   Count  Cabarras,   the  Plenipotentiary  of  a  friendly 
Power,  and  a  person  highly  esteemed  by  the  Directory ; 
and  that  it  would  be  proper  to  receive  him  with  all  pos- 
sible honour.    He  told  Cabarras  that  the  French  Legation 
had  received  orders  to  direct  their  whole  attention  to  the 
interests  of  the  Allies ;  that,  indeed,  but  for  these  inte- 
rests, the  peace  between  France  and  England  would  have 
been  already  signed  ;   that  he  had,  in  addition  to  what 
was  the  duty  of  every  Frenchman,  particular  reasons  for 
wishing  to  merit  the  esteem  of  the  Spanish  Court  and 

VOL.  III.  2  I 


482  DIARIES  AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [l797. 

nation,  as  the  Embassy  to  Madrid  would  be  in  future 
one  of  his  principal  objects  of  ambition.     That,  from  his 
anxiety  for   their  welfare,   he  thought  it  his   duty  to 
submit  to  him   (Cabarras)  his   private    opinion  on  the 
prolmble  event  of  another  campaign.     That  the  superi- 
ority of  the  English  navy  was  irresistil)le  ;  that  the  dis- 
tant colonies  of  Spain  were  consequently  in  great  measure 
at  its  mercy ;  that  whatever  might  be  the  distress  of  the 
English  finances,  that  of  the  French  and  Spanish  treasury 
was  much  greater ;  and  that  in  Spain  this  distress  and 
weakness  of  Government  might  possibly  lead  to  the  most 
fatal  consequences ;    that  Spain  had  a  right  to  insist,  if 
she  thought  fit,  on  the  continuation  of  the  war,  but  that 
he  wished  him  to  consider,  whether  it  would  not  be  for 
the  real  interest  of  that  country  to  be  contented  with  the 
best  terms  that  could  be  secured  at  present  in  the  way 
of  negotiation,  without  trying  so  formidable  an  experi- 
ment.    Cabarras  was  very  tractable  ;    my  friend  never 
lost  sight  of  him  during  the  day,  and  ha\dng  found  an 
opportunity  of  proposing  to  him,  without  afiectation,  a 
visit  to  the  citadel,  where  he  was  received  with  all  the 
honors  of  war,  (a  circumstance  which  my  friend  repre- 
sented as  naturally  due  to  a  person  of  his  merit,)  he 
seemed  to  treat  him  with  the  most  perfect  confidence, 
and  this  morning  shewed  him  the  answer  he  had  written 
to  Del  Campo,  which  was  conceived  in  terms  of  the  most 
perfect  conformity  to  his  advice.     ]\Iy  friend  then  said  to 
him,  "  It  is  in  your  power  to  do  us  a  most  essential  ser- 
vice.     An  application  similar  to  that  Avhich  you  have 
received  has  been  made  to  the  Dutch,  and  Noel  has  orders 
to  second  it  as  well  as  he  can  ;  but  if  you,  whose  influ- 
ence on  our  Government  is  so  well  known,  and  who  are 
the  representative  of  another  power  in  alliance  with  the 
Batavian  Republic,  would  have  the  goodness  to  enforce 
all  his  arguments,    there  can  be  little   doubt  of  your 
success.     I  am  afraid  it  may  be  very  inconvenient  to  you 
to  be  stopped  at  the  Hague,  instead  of  immediately  pur- 
suing your  business  in  Amsterdam  ;  but  you  must  feel 
how  much  your  Court  is  interested  in  tliis  event,  since 
the  whole  burthen  of  the  war,  if  it  should  be  continued. 


1797.]  LISLE.  483 

must  fall  on  Spain  and  France, — the  impotence  of  the 
Batavian  Republic  being  sufficiently  evident.  This,  too, 
Cabarras  readily  promised,  and  his  assistance,  though  not 
of  such  importance  as  my  friend  affected  to  consider  it,  is 
very  well  worth  having. 

He  then  told  me  that  he  trusted  Lord  Malmesbury 
would  find  the  French  Legation  very  generally  civil  and 
cordial,  and  that  being  sure  of  the  co-operation  of  his 
friend,  he  would  use  all  his  address  to  gain  over  Le 
Tourneur.  I  said  he  might  be  easy  on  this  head  ;  that 
the  important  point  was  to  satisfy  our  Cabinet  that  the 
French  Government  was  in  earnest,  and  for  this  purpose 
it  was  necessary  that  Lord  Malmesbury  should  be  assured 
officially  that  the  Allies  had  been  applied  to.  He  again 
repeated  that  this  would  certainly  be  done  ;  that  indeed 
he  had  not  seen  the  official  despatches,  because  Le  Tour- 
neur was  not  up  when  he  came  away ;  but  that  Talley- 
rand's letter  was  so  precise,  that  he  could  have  no  ap- 
prehensions on  that  score;  and  besides  that,  his  friend, 
knowing  he  was  not  to  see  me  till  eleven,  must  have  had 
since  nine  o'clock  time  enough  to  give  him  notice  of  any 
alteration  if  any  had  taken  place. 

The  rest  of  our  conversation  was  perhaps  not  worth 
repeating.  I  asked  him  if  he  was  acquainted  with  La 
Reveilliere  Lepaux,  of  whom  when  I  was  last  at  Paris  I 
had  heard  a  more  favourable  character  than  he  seemed  to 
deserve.  He  said  he  was  an  irresolute,  but  not  a  bad 
man,  and  at  present  a  mere  agent  in  the  hands  of  Rew- 
bell,  whose  violence  overpowered  him  ;  that  on  the  mere 
question  of  peace,  if  it  stood  clearly  as  an  insulated 
question,  Carnot  would  be  nearly  sure  of  gaining  him 
over  to  their  side,  but  that  at  present  he  conceived  it  to 
be  implicated  with  the  diminution  of  the  Directorial 
authority. 

I  then  asked  him  about  these  new  Ministers.  He  said 
that  their  characters  were  indifferent  to  us,  and  that  he 
was  personally  acquainted  with  only  one  of  them,  Fran- 
cois de  Neuchateau,  who  was  not  deficient  in  talents,  but 
prolmbly  little  fitted  for  administration,  particularly  in 
troublesome   times ;  that   of   Sot'm   he   knew   nothing  ; 

2  i2 


484  DIARIES   AND    CORRESPONDENCE.  [l797. 

that  Scherer  was  a  friend  of  Pichegru,"^  and  directed  by 
him ;  that  on  Pichegru's  resigning  his  command,  the 
Directory  had  displaced  Scherer,  who  was  then  at  the 
head  of  a  division  of  the  Italian  army ;  and  that  his  late 
appointment  to  the  Ministry  was  meant  as  a  civility  to 
Pichegru. 

Saturday,  5. — Lord  Malmesbury  not  having  received 
at  yesterday's  Conference  the  official  communication  ex- 
pected, I  this  day  called  on  Pein  to  inquire  into  the 
reason  of  this  change.  He  told  me  that,  in  fact,  the 
despatches  had  not  been  exactly  such  as  he  had  expected 
from  Talleyrand's  private  letter ;  that  indeed  they  com- 
municated what  had  been  done,  but  referred  them  to  a 
future  letter  for  instructions  ;  and  that  Le  Tourneur  had 
not  thought  himself  authorized  under  such  orders  to 
communicate  the  step  which  the  Directory  had  taken, 
but  had  contented  himself  with  assuring  Lord  Malmes- 
bury, that  the  delay  augured  well  for  the  final  success  of 
the  Negotiation ;  that  the  two  Commissioners  had  hinted 
at  the  truth  as  plainly  as  they  could  venture  to  do ;  that 
if  Lord  ]\Ialmesbury  had  pressed  Le  Tourneur  with  ques- 
tions, he  would  quickly  have  divulged  the  secret,  and 
that  one  of  them  had  even  been  much  alarmed  at  the 
facility  with  which  he  thought  Lord  IVIalmesbury  ap- 
peared to  understand  them,  but  apprehensive  that  a 
person  of  common  sagacity  (which  fortunately  Le  Tour- 
neur is  not)  would  have  seen  in  that  facility  the  proof 
that  he  had,  through  some  secret  channel,  acquired  a 
perfect  knowledge  of  the  truth. 

I  said,  "  this  is,  perhaps,  all  very  true,  but  you  should 
consider  that  it  is  not  official,  and  therefore  not  satis- 
factory." "  That  I  admit  (replied  he),  and  when  I  re- 
ceived your  note,  announcing  your  intended  visit,  I 
called  on  my  friend,  and  suggested  this  to  him  as  the 
probable  cause  of  your  uneasiness.     He  bade  me  assure 

*  Pichdgru,  at  the  bead  of  the  Republican  armies,  liad  conquered  Hol- 
land and  the  Low  Countries.  His  correspondence  with  Cond^  being  dis- 
covered, he  was  banished  in  17!)7.  He  entered  into  a  conspiracy  against 
Napoleon,  1804,  was  arrested  and  found  strangled  in  prison. 


1797.]  LISLE.  485 

you,  that  it  was  not  his  fault,  and  observed,  it  cannot 
after  all  be  of  very  great  importance;  if  at  to-morrow's 
meeting  Lord  Malmesbury  will  return  to  the  charge, 
and  question  Le  Tourneur  pretty  closely,  he  will  soon 
satisfy  himself,  and  acquire  the  right  of  announcing  in 
his  pulilic  despatch  the  real  cause  of  our  delay.  For 
the  rest,  if  the  Directory  had  made  this  application  to 
their  Allies  with  a  mere  view  to  gain  time,  they  would 
of  course  have  been  ready  enough  to  announce  the  mea- 
sure as  an  excuse.  He  knows,  too,  that  they  w^ould  be 
capable  of  using  it  as  a  pretext,  even  if  it  were  false  ;  if 
he  believes  us  at  all,  he  must  have  more  confidence  in 
our  assurances  than  he  can  have  in  the  ofiScial  assurances 
of  the  Directory  ;  but  I  wish  him,  for  many  reasons,  to 
resume  the  subject.  My  colleague  will  be  sure  to  tell  him 
enough,  probably  more  than  he  ought — but  that  is  no 
business  of  mine.  The  conduct  of  our  Government  is 
certainly  very  unsatisfactory;  but  if  it  is  not  such  as  to 
force  the  British  Cabinet  to  break  off  the  Negotiation 
(and  even  if  Lord  Malmesbury  were  ignorant  of  all  that 
we  have  communicated  to  him,  I  cannot  think  they  would 
feel  this  necessity  at  present),  I  trust  we  shall  yet  bring 
matters  to  a  favourable  conclusion."  Here  our  interview 
ended. 

Saturday  12. — Pein  told  me  that  he  had  only  wished 
to  see  me  in  order  to  inquire  whether  d'Aranjo  in  his 
communication  with  Lord  Malmesbury  had  enclosed  a 
copy  of  the  Treaty,  and  if  not,  whether  we  thought  it 
important  to  procure  one.  He  then  said,  that  Maret  had 
received  a  sketch  of  it  from  Talleyrand  containing  all  the 
articles,  excepting  those  which  consisted  solely  of  forms, 
and  that  he  would  immediately  fetch  it,  provided  I  would 
promise  to  get  it  copied  within  an  hour,  because  it  was 
essential  that  Le  Tourneur  should  not  suspect  its  commu- 
nication."" He  then  added,  that  he  had  seen  a  letter  from 
Talleyrand  that  morning,  stating,  that  he  was  promised 
some  important  and  pleasing  intelligence  from  the  Hague 

*  This  Mr.  Ellis  did,  and  Lord  Malmesbury  sent  it  to  England. 


486  DIARIES   AND  CORRESPONDENCE.  [l797. 

by  the  next  post ;  but  that,  as  the  acceptance  of  the  Con- 
stitution would  probably  put  it  out  of  the  power  of  Koel 
to  communicate  such  intelligence  so  very  soon,  he  could 
not  venture  to  expect  it  in  less  than  four  or  five  days. 
He  told  me,  also,  that  Noel  had  written  to  Maret  in  such 
terms  as  to  make  him  very  confident  of  success.  He 
observed,  that  Talleyrand's  letter  contained  one  circum- 
stance which  he  hoped  augured  very  well  for  our  ultimate 
success,  viz.,  "  that  his  last  accounts  from  Thugut  con- 
tained assurances,  that  the  Court  of  Vienna  were  as  little 
disposed  as  the  Directory  to  delay  the  work  of  peace  by 
the  unnecessary  forms  of  a  Congress,  and  that  they  were 
determined  to  conclude  it  separately,  and  as  speedily  as 
possible.'^ 

On  the  22nd  Pein  told  me,  that  if  Aranjo  had  pos- 
sessed common  honesty  he  might  have  made  a  very  differ- 
ent Treaty  for  Portugal  ;  that  Thugut's  letters  were  expli- 
cit on  the  subject  of  peace  with  the  Emperor,  which 
would  immediately  be  signed,  and  that  the  Directory  was 
equally  anxious  to  make  one  with  England,  and  popu- 
larize themselves. 


LORD    MALMESBURY  S    DIARY    RESUMED. 

Aug.  11. — Maret  came,  for  the  first  time,  into  my  box. 
He  said  he  had  been  thirty  months  in  close  confinement 
(au  secret)  ;  that  St.  Estevenon  had  given  in  his  resigna- 
tion ;  that  he  had  un  proces  criminel  in  Holland.  Said 
the  Spaniards  did  not  appear  so  well  disposed  as  he 
expected.     (N.  B.  This  explained  by  Pein.) 


Aug.  1 .5. — At  the  Spectacle  de  la  Societe  Dramatique, 
led  by  the  inhabitants  of  Lisle.  Conversed  with  ]\Iaret, 
Le  Tourneur,  M.  and  j\Ide.  Duces.  Alaret  said  the  Goii- 
vernement  Provisoire  in  Holland  were  timid  and  cautious. 
In  about  five  days  they  ouglit  to  have  an  answer.  Duces 
apparently  clever. 


1797.]  LISLE.  487 

Aug.  16.  Thirteenth  Conference. — Nothing  of  any  sort 
passed  but  common  conversation  ;  the  same  on  the  14th, 
and  on  the  18th  instant.  Talking  of  the  late  Negotiation'"" 
Le  Tourneur  said,  that  I  saw  very  little  of  the  Minister ; 
that  all  the  negotiation  passed  in  Notes  ;  he  said,  "Yotre 
rapport  etoit  tres  bien  fait."  I  replied,  "I  had  made  it  as 
exact  as  possible."  "It  certainly  was  so,"  said  Maret, 
"  puis  qu'on  n'en  a  pas  fait  la  moindre  reclamation."  Le 
Tourneur  said,  "et  je  vous  assure  nous  en  ^tions  tres  con- 
tents an  Directoire."  We  talked  about  an  article  in  the 
French  papers  which  gave  a  very  exact  account  of  what  we 
were  doing.  I  said  it  was  certainly  written  in  France, 
though  dated  Loudon.  Le  Tourneur  seemed  to  admit  it, 
and  that  the  Eclair  had  a  correspondent  here. 

They  said  they  hoped  things  were  going  on  well  at 
Paris  ;  that  universal  tixmquillity  depended  on  it.  "  Si  on 
tire  un  coup  de  canon  a  Paris  il  sera  senti  par  toute 
I'Europe.  C'est  le  repos  qu'il  nous  faut,"  said  Le  Tourneur, 
"  un  long  repos  apr^s  une  si  cruelle  guerre."  I  inquired 
what  was  passing  in  Holland.  "The  primary  assembly  re- 
fuse the  Constitution,"  said  Le  Tourneur,  and  added,  "cela 
augmente  I'embarras  ;  en  verit6  nous  avons  mal  fait  de  ne 
pas  leur  avoir  envoy6  une  Constitution  toute  faite,  et  de 
leur  avoir  dit,  tenez  voila  la  Constitution  telle  qu'il  nous 
la  faudroit ;  acceptez  la."     I  agreed  with  him  entirely. 

Le  Tourneur  called  the  play  written  by  Fabre  Eglan, 
"  du  vrai  et  bon  Moliere." 


August  17. — Maret  and  all  his  dependants,  viz.,  Col- 
chen,  de  L'Orme,  &c.,  came  into  my  box,  and  remained 
during  the  whole  of  the  two  last  acts  of  the  play.  No 
politics.  They  said  the  innkeeper  of  Venice  (the  play 
was  Le  Roi  Theodore  k  Venise)  when  in  his  uniform  was 
like  General  Santerre.  On  this  and  every  other  occasion 
Maret  took  an  opportunity  of  expressing  his  dislike  to 
revolutionary  principles,  and  always  said,  "  du  temps  de 
la  revolution,''  or  "maintenant  que  la  revolution  estjinie." 

*  At  Paris,  in  the  preceding  year. 


488  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [1797- 

August  18. — In  the  box  of  the  French  Legation  at  the 
play.  Conversation  witli  Madame  Ducos  about  English 
novels.  Maret  said  he  had  no  news,  De  L'Orme  a 
quick  sensible  man,  Ducos  a  .  These  two,  Secre- 
taries, A  third  called  Isidore,  who  seems  less  trusted, 
PouUin,  Secretary  to  Le  Tourneur,  has  a  wife.  Le 
Tourneur  himself  recently  mamed.  Maret  said  he  was 
"  un  homme  tres  casanier,  bon  p^re,  bon  mari," 


EXTRACTS  OF  A  LETTER  FROM  LORD  GRE>"VILLE  TO 
LORD  MALMESBURY. 

Cleveland  Row,  18tli  Aug.,  1797. 

Thls  Portuguese  business  is  of  bad  omen,  for  what  is 
to  come  from  Talleyrand  ?  You  may  be  assured  that  the 
whole  has  been  settled  entirely  by  him  and  d'Aranjo,  and 
the  Court  of  Lisbon*  is  no  party  to  it,  as  indeed  the 
enclosed  despatch  to  him,  sent  here  under  flying  seal, 
sufficiently  demonstrates.  If  the  Directory  refuses  to 
listen  to  any  discussion  upon  the  subject,  our  T^egotia- 
tions  must  break  off.  If  the  business  is  refeiTed  to  Lisle, 
it  will  much  embarrass  your  proceedings,  because  it  Avill 
be  of  course  more  difficult  to  make  them  recede  from  an 
advantage  gained,  and  which  they  have  made  matter  of 
triumph  at  Paris,  than  it  would  have  been  to  have  stood 
firm  upon  this  point,  which  they  have  no  pretence  to 
insist  upon.  The  best  expedient  that  I  can  devise  is,  that 
(supposing  the  two  parties  agreed  on  all  other  points)  the 
Directory  should  declare,  for  which  the  words  would 
afford  me  grounds,  that  these  stipulations  had  reference 
only  to  the  present  war,  and  expire  Avith  its  termination. 
This,  if  coupled  with  the  signature  of  peace,  and  made  a 
part  of  it,  we  might  accept,  but  not  otherwise,  as  in  any 
other  case  it  would  afford  to  the  enemy  both  a  motive 
and  a  means  of  continuing  the  war.  But  I  greatly  doul)t 
whetlier  the  period  of  peace  is  yet  arrived.     There  seems 

*  Eventually  the  Court  of  Lisbon  refusing  to  ratify  the  terms  of  the  Treaty 
signed  l>y  Mons.  d'Aranjo  on  the  lOtli  August,  at  Paris,  the  Directory,  on 
tlie  20tli  October,  declared  it  ludl  and  void. 


1797.]  LISLE.  480 

SO  much  insolence,  and  such  an  overbearing  opinion  of 
their  own  consequence  and  power,  even  among  those  who 
profess  themselves  the  best  disposed,  that  I  fear  it  will  be 
impossible  yet  to  obtain  such  terms  as  we  must  require. 
Our  best  chance  is  in  patience  and  firmness ;  but  these 
are  no  security  against  such  dispositions  as  we  have  to 
contend  with. 

We  have  no  other  account  than  tlirough  you,  of  the 
Emperors  resolution  to  treat  for  definitive  peace  at 
Udine  ;  but  I  have  no  doubt  of  the  fact. 


DESPATCH    FROM    LORD    GREXVILLE    TO    LORD    MALMESBURY. 

Downing  Street,  19th  Aug,  1797, 

My  Lord, — His  Majesty  has  learnt  with  the  deepest 
concern  the  particulars  of  the  transaction  concluded  by 
M.  D'Aranjo  at  Paris,  both  because  the  clandestine  and 
precipitate  manner  in  which  the  business  has  been  con- 
ducted affords  indisputable  proofs  of  the  total  absence  of 
a  sincere  and  candid  disposition  for  peace  on  the  part  of 
His  ]\Iajesty's  enemies,  and  because  the  nature  of  the 
terms  contained  in  the  Treaty  signed  by  M.  D'Aranjo  must 
very  much  embarrass  the  future  progress  of  the  ^N'egotia- 
tion  in  which  your  Lordship  is  engaged. 

From  the  whole  tenour  of  the  communications  received 
by  His  Majesty  from  the  Court  of  Lisbon,  and  most  of  all 
from  those  which  M.  D' Almeida  has  made  here  within 
these  few  days,  in  consequence  of  orders  dated  at  two 
difi'erent  periods  subsequent  to  the  date  of  the  alleged 
full  powers  of  ]\L  D'Aranjo,  there  cannot  be  the  smallest 
doubt  that  this  Minister,  in  treating  separately  for  peace 
with  France,  has  not  only  exceeded,  but  positiveli/  dis- 
obeyed the  instructions  of  his  Court  ;  the  terms  to  which 
he  has  agreed  are  so  directly  in  contradiction  to  the  sub- 
sisting treaties  between  His  Majesty  and  the  Court  of 
Lisbon,  and  to  the  whole  system  on  which  the  political 
union  between  Great  Britain  and  Portugal  is  founded 
(particularly  in  the  refusal  of  supplies,  to  His  Majesty's 
Navy,  and  the  exclusion  of  his  vessels,  beyond  a  limited 


490  DIARIES  AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [1797. 

number,  from  the  Portuguese  ports),  tliat  His  Majesty  can- 
not possibly  consent  to,  or  even  acquiesce  in,  this  sacri- 
fice of  his  unquestionable  rights,  made  without  his  know- 
ledge or  consent,  and  by  the  unauthorized  act  of  the 
Minister  of  his  Ally.  Mr.  Walpole  has  therefore  been 
instructed  to  require,  that  the  Court  of  Lisbon  shall,  in 
conformity  to  its  repeated  assurances  and  engagements, 
decline  to  ratify  this  Treaty,  or  at  least  give  only  a 
conditional  and  qualified  ratification  of  it ;  reserving  for 
discussion  between  the  Ministers  of  the  Three  Powers 
at  Lisle,  all  those  parts  of  the  fourth  and  fifth  articles  in 
which  the  rights  or  interests  of  Great  Britain  are  in  any 
way  affected  :  and  he  is  expressly  ordered,  if  necessary, 
to  enforce  this  demand  by  the  most  explicit  declaration, 
that  any  attempt  on  the  part  of  Portugal  to  obstruct  the 
accustomed  resort  of  His  JVIajesty's  ships  to  the  Portu- 
guese ports  will  be  considered  as  an  act  of  hostility,  and 
acted  upon  by  them  as  such. 

The  only  other  remark  with  which  I  have  to  trouble 
your  Lordship  by  this  messenger  relates  to  an  expression 
in  the  late  message  of  the  Directory  to  the  Council  of 
Five  Hundred,  which,  if  literally  taken,  conveys  an  accu- 
sation against  His  Majesty's  Government,  that  some  delay 
has  arisen  on  the  part  of  this  country  in  the  negotiation 
at  Lisle.  This  is  so  avowedly  contrary  to  the  fact,  that 
it  must  be  considered  as  impossible  that  such  a  charge 
could  be  intended  to  be  made  by  a  Government  which 
had  at  that  moment  delayed  for  three  weeks  making  any 
answer  to  His  Majesty's  distinct  and  liberal  proposals  of 
peace,  and  whose  Plenipotentiaries  were  daily  apologizing 
to  your  Lordship  for  this  unbecoming,  and,  as  they 
almost  confess,  unaccountable  delay.  But  as  the  point 
is  too  important  to  be  left  unnoticed,  it  is  the  King's 
pleasure,  that  your  Lordship  should  present  a  Xote,  re- 
marking upon  the  sense  to  which  these  words  are  liable, 
expressing  your  persuasion  that  such  cannot  be  the  inten- 
tion with  which  they  were  used,  but  asking,  on  the  part 
of  your  Court,  an  ex])lanation  to  that  efiect,  and  which 
cannot  be  refused  without  a  violation  of  every  thing 
which  truth  and  justice  require  on  such  an  occasion. 


1797.]  LISLE.  491 


LETTER    FROM    MR.    PITT    TO    LORD    MALMESBURY. 

Downing  Street,  19th  Aug.  1797. 

My  DEAR  Lord, — You  will  see,  by  the  public  instruc- 
tions,  the  impression  made  here  bj  the  manner  of  con- 
cluding the  Portuguese  peace,  and  still  more  by  the  terms 
as  contained  in  the  fourth  and  fifth  Articles.  They  are 
certainly  directly  contrary  to  the  express  provisions  of  our 
Treaty  with  Portugal  in  1703,  and  such  as  that  Court 
could  not  justly  agree  to  without  our  consent  at  any 
time,  much  less  after  the  repeated  and  recent  assurances 
given  us  on  this  very  subject.  The  preventing  us  from 
the  full  and  free  use  of  the  Portuguese  ports,  is  also  in 
itself  a  point  of  the  utmost  practical  importance.  The 
facility,  if  not  the  possibility,  of  blocking  or  watching 
Cadiz  during  a  great  part  of  the  year,  depends,  in  a  great 
measure,  on  the  use  of  those  ports,  and  with  it  the  means 
of  obstructing  the  junction  of  the  French  and  Spanish 
fleets,  or  the  detaching  the  latter  to  the  West  Indies  or 
other  remote  parts  of  our  dominions.  Our  means  would, 
therefore,  be  crippled  by  this  concession  in  every  future 
naval  war,  and  in  the  present  (if  it  continues),  we  should 
sacrifice  one  of  the  proudest,  or  rather  one  of  the  few 
proud  parts  of  our  situation,  the  blockade  of  Cadiz,  and 
with  it  impair  materially  the  security  of  the  Irish,  if  not 
our  own  coasts,  and  of  our  Colonies.  The  prospect  of 
such  a  change  in  our  means  of  war  might  (if  we  acquiesced 
in  it)  be  perhaps  more  likely  than  anything  else  to  en- 
courage a  perseverance  in  the  war,  or  in  unreasonable 
terms  of  peace.  On  these  grounds  I  feel  strongly  the 
necessity  of  our  making  a  stand  ;  but  I  own  I  do  not  feel 
as  much  discouraged  by  the  circumstance  as  some  others."'' 
I  think  it  is  a  natural,  though  an  unworthy  game  in  those 
we  are  treating  with ;  but  I  do  not  much  expect  that,  if 
other  points  could  be  settled,  this  would  stand  in  the 
way  of  peace.  The  expedient  Lord  Greuville  has  men- 
tioned is,  I  think,  a  very  good  one,  and  either,  in  that 

*  Alluding  to  Lord  Grenville. 


492  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [1797. 

shape  or  some  other,  the  same  mixture  of  firmness,  con- 
ciliation, and  address,  by  which  you  have  already  smoothed 
so  many  obstacles,  will,  I  trust,  be  as  successful  when 
applied  to  this.  I  rather  hope  we  shall  hear  from  you 
again  on  Monday  or  Tuesday.  We  are  as  impatient  for 
a  Gontre-pr^ojtt  as  if  we  were  at  Lisle.  Canning  will  have 
told  you  how  much  we  were  gratified  by  the  communica- 
tions from  Lord  Granville  and  Wesley.  I  have  had  the 
good  fortune  to  see  a  good  deal  of  Lord  Granville  since 
his  arrival,  and  of  course  am  more  and  more  pleased  with 
him.  Your  last  separate  letter  put  the  secret  intelligence 
into  an  excellent  form  for  communication  ;  and  Mr.  Ellis's 
friend  has  the  merit  of  furnishing  one  of  the  most  in- 
terest'inrj,  and  certainly  the  most  entertaining  dialogues 
that  ever  made  part  of  a  negotiation.  Such  episodes 
must  be  not  a  little  wanting  to  enliven  Lisle. 
Believe  me,  &c. 

(Signed)         AV.  Pitt. 


Aug.  19. — A  Mr.  Melville  of  Boston,  in  America,  makes 
the  same  offer  as  to  Barras.'""  He  declares  he  made  the 
peace  with  Portugal  by  means  of  money  (ten  or  twelve 
millions  of  livres)  given  to  the  Directory.  He  proposes 
to  us  fifteen  millions.  Of  course  his  oficr  was  rejected. 
I  would  not  see  him,  and  he  conveyed  it  through  Ellis, 
He  was  about  twenty -six,  reserved  and  vulgar — says  he 
knew  Perregeaux  intimately.  Ellis  saw  him  twice  in  the 
morning  and  afternoon.  He  said  R^veilliere  Lepaux 
would  not  take  money,  but  Barras  and  Rewbell  would. 
I  suspect  him  to  be  the  same  person  who  was  mentioned 
to  me  at  Paris  by  d'Aranjo,  as  one  who  had  officiously 
interfered  in  his  business,  and  done  mischief.  He  has 
been  at  Boston. 

*  A  pcTsoii  iitiuied  Potter  came  to  Lord  ]\Ialincsbnry  at  the  beginning  of 
the  negotiation,  stating,  that  he  was  sent  by  Barras  to  say,  tliat  if  the 
English  Government  wouhl  pay  tliat  Director  oOOjOOO/.  lie  would  ensure 
the  Peace.  Loi-d  Malniesliury  believing  the  offer  to  be  unauthorized  by 
lianas,  or  only  a  trap  laid  lor  him  by  the  Directory,  paid  no  attention  to  it. 
— lluniii'  Pu\His. 


1797.]  LISLE.  493 

Aug.  20,  Sunday. — Sent  Ellis  to  inform  Pein  of  what 
Melville  had  said.  He  not  at  home."^^  Play  at  the  Societe 
Dramatiqiie.  Maret  there  without  his  colleagues.  He 
told  me  an  answer  very  unsatisfactory,  and  drawn  up  in 
a  high  tone,  had  been  received  from  Holland,  but  that  M. 
Talleyrand  had  taken  on  himself  to  send  it  back,  and 
required  another.  This,  he  said,  proved  how  much 
Talleyrand  wished  to  promote  peace. 

On  resuming  the  subject  of  my  last  negotiation,  Le 
Tourneur  said,  "  Vous  et  Charles  Delacroix  n'ont  jamais 
pu  vous  rapprocher."  I  said,  "  Que  j'avais  6t6  content  de 
lui ;"  and  mentioned  an  account  which  had  just  appeared 
of  the  whole  of  this  business.  They  expressed  a  curiosity 
to  see  it,  and  Le  Tourneur  said,  "  Si  jamais  on  public 
I'histoire  de  celle-ci,  j'espere  que  Ton  rendra  justice  a  la 
loyaut6  que  nous  y  avons  tons  mis  de  part  et  d'autre." 
In  conversing  again  on  Holland,  he  said,  "  Le  Gouverne- 
ment  Provisoire  est  trop  foible  ;  il  n'ose  rien  prendre  sur 
lui."  

15th  Conference  this  day.  —  N'othing  remarkable. 
Delay  still  on  part  of  the  French  Legation. 


16th  Conference,  Tuesday,  22. — See  despatches. 


17th  Conference,  Thursday,  Aug.  24. — Still  no  news 
from  the  Directory.  Le  Tourneur  said,  "  Qu'il  en  etoit 
bien  aise."  So  said  also  both  Maret  and  Colchen.  It 
was  a  certain  proof  that  things  were  going  on  well.  We 
conversed  for  a  quarter  of  an  hour  on  common  subjects. 

No  Conference  on  Saturday,  the  26  th,  as  Alaret  was  at 
Dunkirk. 

18th  Conference,  Monday,  Aug.  28. — Further  delays. 
Answer  from  Holland  sent  back  by  the  Directory.  Le 
Tourneur  called  it  "  complexe  et  louche." 

*  When  he  told  Pein,  the  Uxtter  knew  nothing  of  it,  and  advised  him  to 
refer  to  Perregeaux  for  Mr.  Melville's  character. 


494  DIARIES  AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [l797. 


EXTRACTS    OF   A    DESrATCH    FROM    LORD    MALMESBURY    TO 

LORD    GRENVILLE. 

Lisle,  22nd  Aug.,  1797. 

Ijv  my  conference  of  this  morning  I  took  an  oppor- 
tunity of  remarking  to  the  French  Plenipotentiaries  on 
the  very  unfair  and  extraordinary  assertion  which  had 
appeared  in  the  message  of  the  9th  instant  from  the 
Directory  to  the  Council  of  Five  Hundred,  viz.,  "  Que  les 
puissances  coalisees  out  mis  aidant  de  lenteur  dans  les 
Negociations,  qii  Elles  avaient  montree  de  Vardeur  pour 
les  terminer^  I  observed  to  them  that  I  had  orders 
from  my  Court  to  ask  a  precise  explanation  whether  this 
accusation  of  delay  was  meant  to  apply  to  the  manner  in 
which  His  Majesty  had  conducted  the  negotiation  at 
Lisle ;  and  if  it  was  meant  so  to  declare,  no  accusation 
was  ever  more  destitute  of  foundation,  nor  a  wider  devia- 
tion from  the  real  fact.  I  observed,  I  was  perfectly  ready 
to  abide  by  their  determination  on  this  point,  convinced 
that  it  was  impossible  for  them  not  to  acknowledge  that 
the  delay  (if  there  had  been  any  blamable  delay)  rested 
with  the  French  Government,  and  not  with  His  Majesty. 

The  French  Plenipotentiaries  admitted  this  to  be  most 
strictly  true ;  that  the  phrase  I  had  quoted  was  an  ill- 
judged  one,  and  mal  redige ;  but  that  it  could  not  in 
any  point  of  view  whatever  be  construed  as  applying  to 
England  ;  and  they  were  ready  to  say  that  when  it  was 
written,  the  Directory  alluded  solely  to  the  Court  of 
Vienna.  That  they  could  assure  me  they  had  been  very 
faithful,  and  that  when  they  said  this,  it  was  saying  in 
other  words  that  I  had  carried  on  the  negotiation  with  as 
much  expedition  as  possible ;  that  if  it  had  proceeded 
slowly  for  this  last  month,  the  slowness  arose  on  their 
side,  and  not  on  mine. 

M.  Le  Tourneur,  with  very  strong  expressions,  assured 
me  the  Directory  certainly  did  think  and  feel  like  them, 
tliat  no  unfair  or  invidious  allusion  was  meant ;  and 
added,  "  Que  ce  message  etait  fait  pour  stimuler  les  Gon- 
seils.''     I  went  on  by  observing  it  was  very  essential  to 


1797.]  LISLE.  495 

me  to  have  this  fully  explained,  and  that  I  should  give 
them  in  a  Note  to  this  efiect.  They  requested  I  would 
not ;  it  would  lead  to  disagreeable  discussions,  and  it 
would  not  answer  the  end  I  proposed.  They  would  take 
upon  themselves  noiu  to  assure  me,  in  the  name  of  the 
Directory,  that  nothing  at  all  similar  to  the  construction 
I  put  on  the  phrase  was  intended,  and  that  as  soon  as 
they  could  receive  an  answer  to  the  report  they  should 
make  of  to-day's  conversation,  they  would  say  the  same 
from  the  Directory  itself. 

I  hope,  my  Lord,  I  have  therefore,  by  obtaining  this 
very  precise  and  formal  disavowal  of  an  intention  to  fix 
any  imputation  of  delay  on  His  Majesty's  Government, 
fulfilled  the  object  of  my  instructions  on  this  particular 
point. 


EXTRACT    OF    A    DESPATCH    FROM    LORD    MALMESBURY    TO 

LORD    GRENVILLE. 

Lisle,  22nd  Aug.,  1797. 

I  HEAR  from  good  authority  that  letters  were  received 
by  M.  Talleyrand  on  Friday  last,  with  accounts  from 
Baron  Thugut  and  ]\I.  Gallo,  so  explicit  on  the  subject  of 
peace,  that  every  difficulty  relative  to  the  conclusion  of 
the  definitive  treaty  with  Austria  is  removed,  and  that 
we  may  expect  in  a  very  few  days  to  receive  news  of  its 
being  actually  signed.  An  Austrian  agent,  it  is  said,  is 
already  at  Paris. 

In  regard  to  the  peace  with  Portugal,  I  am  told  that 
the  Directory  were  so  anxious  to  conclude  this  treaty, 
that  if  the  Chevalier  d'Aranjo  had  been  either  a  very  able 
or  very  faithful  Minister,  he  might  have  made  very  nearly 
his  own  conditions.  My  informant '""  admits  that  one  of 
the  objects  was  to  insulate  England,  and  separate  her 
from  all  her  allies ;  but  insists  that  the  great  motive 
which  induced  the  Directory  to  proceed  on  this  occasion 
with  so  much  precipitation  was  to  gain  popularity  with 

*  M.  Pein. 


49G  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE,  [1797. 

the  public  and  the  army,  and  to  give  an  air  of  probability 
to  their  pacific  assurances. 

An  answer  arrived  about  a  week  ago  from  Holland, 
drawn  up  in  a  high  and  discontented  tone  :  a  full  per- 
formance of  all  the  engagements  France  has  entered  into 
with  the  Batavian  Republic  was  insisted  on.  The  Dutch 
enumerate  the  great  sacrifices  they  have  already  made  for 
France,  and  allege  them  as  a  fair  plea  for  their  not  con- 
senting to  any  cession  of  territory.  This  answer  M. 
Talleyrand  took  upon  himself  to  send  back  to  the  Hague, 
saying  it  was  not  such  a  one  as  he  could  venture  to  show 
to  the  Directory ;  that  the  Dutch  77iust  consent  to  enter 
into  a  negotiation  for  some  cession  of  territory,  or  risk 
the  loss  of  the  friendship  of  France.  And  he  went  so  far 
as  to  say,  that  the  form  of  answer  they  were  expected  to 
return  would  be  explained  to  them  by  M.  Noel.  It  will 
arrive  at  Paris  to-morrow  or  next  day,  and  of  course  at 
this  place  about  the  time  that  M.  Le  Tourneur  mentioned 
he  expected  it.  My  informant  pointed  out  to  me  that 
I  was  to  infer  from  this,  that  the  pacific  party  was 
gaining  ground,  since  M.  Talleyrand  could  not  have  ven- 
tured to  take  so  strong  a  step  as  that  of  sending  back  the 
letter  from  the  Dutch  without  communicating  it  to  his 
employers,  and  of  insisting  on  a  different  answer,  if  he 
were  not  sure  of  very  sufficient  support ;  and  if  the  pre- 
mises laid  down  are  not  false,  the  conclusion  is  certainly 
a  very  reasonable  one  to  draw. 


EXTRACTS    OF    A    LETTER    FROM    LORD    MALMESBURY    TO 

MR.   CANNIXG. 

Lisle,  Aug.  22nd,  1797. 

Let  G.  Ellis's  long  letter  tell  for  us  both  to-day.'-'  I 
promise  you  faithfully  by  the  next  messenger  one  as  long 
on  the  same  cursed  subject. 

You  will  see  my  private  letters  to  Lord  Grenville; 
they  will  speak  for  themselves.  I  felt  all  the  horrors  of 
Aranjo's  rascality  when  it  first  was  made  known  to  me  ; 

■  Giving  an  account  oi'  tlie  secret  negotiations. 


1797.J  LISLE.  497 

but  I  wished  somehow  or  other  that  you  would  not  feel  it 
at  home,  and  leave  to  Providence  the  care  of  repairing 
this  work  of  the  devil,  which,  unless  Providence  does, 
I  do  not  know  who  can. 

Surely  it  was  a  hasty  measure,  the  ordering  me  to  give 
in  a  note  on  those  foolish  expressions  in  the  Message  from 
the  Directory ; '"'  and  I  trust,  as  you  had  time  to  cool,  the 
line  of  conduct  I  have  adopted  will  not  be  disapproved, 
or  deemed  inadequate  to  the  end  proposed.  You  may, 
however,  if  you  please,  recal  me  for  disobedience  of 
orders,  and  try  me  by  a  Court  Cabinet ;  I  will  bow  down 
with  submission  to  the  sentence. 

I  knew  Walpole  very  well  some  five  and  twenty  years 
ago  :  he  is  not  a  bright  man,  but  with  a  plain  strong  un- 
derstanding, and  I  think  will  not  execute  ill  the  orders 
he  is  to  receive.  What  is  to  be  done  if  Her  most  faithful 
Majesty  has  already  ratified  '?     Go  mad,  like  her ! 


Thursday,  Aug.  24.  —  Le  Tourneur  came  into  my 
box  with  PouUin,  his  secretary.  Le  Tourneur  very  com- 
municative. He  said  that  the  first  answer  which  came 
from  Holland  was  a  refusal  to  give  up  anything.  This 
was  sent  back  by  Talleyrand.  The  second  was  little 
better  :  it  was  tres  entortille.  This  the  Directory  sent 
back  angrily  on  the  21st,  and  dictated  a  third  to  them, 
counselling  them  to  consent  to  reasonable  sacrifices.  "  It 
would  be  better,"  said  Le  Tourneur,  very  ndivement,  "  if 
the  usages  diplomatiques  allowed  us  to  be  sincere  at  once, 
and  to  declare  our  last  word  at  first.  But  this  cannot 
be  ;  we  must  go  through  the  necessary  forms  of  nego- 
tiation, but  we  shall  end  well."  He  said  Spain  would 
be  as  tractable  as  Holland  at  last.  I  led  him  to  talk  of 
this  country,  and  I  chose  to  agree  with  him  to  induce  him 


*  On  the  message  of  the  Directory  to  tlie  Councils,  attributing  the  delays 
of  the  Negotiation  to  the  English  Cahinct.  Lord  Malmcsbury  did  not  pre- 
sent it,  contenting  himself  with  a  strong  verbal  condemnation  of  the  message 
by  the  Plenipotentiaries.  He  saw  by  this  time  that  peace  was  safe  if 
Maret's  party  remained  in  power,  and  impossible  if  they  lost  it. 

VOL.  III.  2  K 


498  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [l797. 

to  talk,  and  said,  that  the  Councils  were  now  in  a  quite 
opposite  system,  and  seemed  to  think  all  imposts  wrong. 
Le  Tourneur  flew  out  against  the  Councils,  and  betrayed 
all  his  Directorial  leanings.  I  encouraged  him  in  his  feel- 
ings, and  he  ended  by  expressing  himself  as  clearly  and 
distinctly  as  if  he  had  been  conversing  with  a  brother 
Director.  He  complained,  however,  1)itterly  of  being  left 
here  without  information,  and  of  the  limitation  of  his  full 
powers ;  and  said,  what  I  believe  is  really  true,  that  if  the 
Negotiation  succeeds,  it  will  be  principally  owing  to  the 
conduct  of  the  two  Legations  ;  "for,''  said  he,  "oiir  2)rinci- 
pals  have  not  helped  us  much  ; — at  least,"  added  he,  "  les 
notres  nous  ont  abandonn^s  bien  cruellement."  Ellis, 
who  had  seen  Moulin  this  morning,  heard  from  him  all 
that  Le  Tourneur  had  told  me  ;  and  the  consequence  is, 
that  some  days  must  yet  pass  before  our  Negotiation  will 
be  afloat  again. 


Aug.  25. — At  the  play  JMaret  told  me  he  had  post- 
poned his  intended  journey  to  Dunkirk  till  the  next  day, 
in  order  to  write  by  Poulin  to  Paris  ;  that  he  wished 
also  to  receive  letters  he  expected  from  Talleyrand  ;  the 
accounts  he  had  hitherto  received  of  the  last  step  taken 
relative  to  the  Dutch  not  having  come  immediately  from 
him  (Talleyrand),  but  from  another  member  of  the 
Government.  I  asked  him  when  he  thought,  really  and 
seriously,  this  long-expected  answer  would  arrive,  and  he 
calculated  the  time.  The  second  answer  (that  which 
Le  Tourneur  called  entortilU)  got  to  Paris  on  the  IStli 
of  August,  and  was  communicated  on  the  20th  to  the 
Directory.  It  was  deliberated  on  the  21st,  returned  on 
the  22d  to  the  Dutch  Plenipotentiary,  with  a  strong  note 
and  injunction  to  demand  a  more  explicit  answer,  and  one 
more  conformable  to  the  intentions  of  the  Directory. 
This  the  Dutch  Plenipotentiaries  could  not  take  on  them- 
selves to  do.  Their  express  left  Paris  for  the  Hague 
early  on  the  23d.  I  observed  that  at  least  a  week  must 
elapse  before  an  answer  could  arrive  here  ;  that  it  would 
not  be  l^efore  the  first  week  in  September  that  any  could 


1797.]  LISLE.  499 

be  expected,  unless  Noel  was  authorized  to  transmit  it 
to  them  here,  and  they  authorized  to  act  upon  it.  This 
was  not  the  case,  he  said.  He  added,  that  he  was  puz- 
zled about  letting  the  Dutch  Ministers  come  here.  Thej 
wished  it.  He  thought  it  might  do  good  if  he  and  I 
were  to  see  them  separately,  but  not  at  the  Conference. 
I  said  I  had  thought  over  this  circumstance,  and  was  not 
prepared  with  an  opinion  on  it.  We  then  fell  into  com- 
mon conversation,  and  he  said  thej  meant  to  take  a  short 
excursion  on  the  sea  when  at  Dunkirk.  I  desired  him  to  be 
careful  not  to  be  taken  prisoner.  Lord  Morpeth,  Wesley, 
and  Ellis  visited  the  Colonel  of  Hussars  this  morning,  Mon- 
sieur Dudevant,  and  found  him  at  home  and  extremely 
civil.  I  walked  round  the  whole  ramparts,  about  four  miles. 


Saturday,  Aug.  26. — De  L'Orme,  one  of  Maret's  se- 
cretaries, called  upon  me  to  say,  that,  as  no  letters  of 
any  importance  had  come  from  Paris,  and  as  Maret  was 
desirous  of  going  to  Dunkirk,  he  wished  the  intended 
Conference  of  to-day  not  to  take  place. 

Le  Colonel  Dudevant  called  ;  a  native  of  Bourdeaux — 
not  a  ci-devant :  he  brought  two  aides-de-camp  with 
him — one  of  the  name  of  Robert,  who  had  been  in 
Bengal,  and  served  under  SuiFrein. 


Sunday,  Aug.  27. — Called  on  Dudevant  and  De  L'Orme. 
Adjutant-General  Paulet  visited  us  in  the  evening — an 
ex-noble — talkative — rather  vulgar  —was  aide-de-camp  to 
Biron,"'  native  of  St.  Quentin — had  been  in  England  with 
the  Duke  of  Cumberland — talks  English — served  against 
Spain — fond  of  talking  of  his  exploits.  Le  Tourneur 
came  into  my  box. 

*  Biron,  better  known  as  the  roue  Lauzun.  His  connexion  with  the 
Duke  of  Orleans  (Egalite)  proved  his  ruin.  Having  at  the  age  of  forty-six 
commanded  the  Republican  armies  unsuccessfully,  he  was  guillotined  in 
1793.  He  and  Lord  Malmesbury  were  companions  at  Berlin,  in  1773, 
and  each  speaks  of  the  other  in  his  Memoirs  at  that  time. 

2k  2 


500  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [l797. 

Monday,  Aug.  28. — Writing — Conference— great  civi- 
lity— expressing  a  wish  for  our  more  frequent  meetings — 
propose  that  we  should  belong  to  their  society  ;  went 
into  Maret's  box  at  the  play — applause  from  the  audi- 
ence— De  L'Orme  and  Isidore  in  my  box.  Maret  told 
me,  that  when  the  Directors  drew  in  April,  the  two 
which  remained  last  in  the  vase  were  Le  Tourneur 
and  Rewbell.  Le  Tourneur  was  to  draw  first  ;  he  took 
up  one  of  the  two  remaining  balls,  but  on  reflection 
dropped  it ;  took  the  other,  in  which  was  written, 
"  Directeur  sortantr  Thus  said  Maret,  "  le  sort  de  la 
France,  a  pense  dependre  d'un  battement  de  poulx."  Le 
Tourneur  went  on  by  saying,  that  he  hoped  it  was  now 
the  same  ;  that  everything  would  go  right ;  that  he  felt 
more  easy  than  he  was  a  fortnight  ago.  He  talked  of 
Dunkirk,  of  the  beauty  of  the  road,  and  said,  that  they 
should  very  soon  propose  to  us  une  pcniie  de  campagne. 


Tuesday,  Aug.  29.— Visited  Paulet  with  Ellis  ;  some 
anecdotes  from  him  about  the  death  of  Theobald  Dillon,'"" 
who  was  killed  by  the  people  of  this  town,  near  the  Port 
St.  ]\Iaurice,  and  about  Biron.  He  praised  Pichegru  ; 
drove  with  Wesley  ;  in  the  evening  visited  the  French 
Legation  —  first  visit ;  many  people  there  ;  amongst 
others.  General  Vandamme. 

Wednesday,  30. — Wesley  set  out  at  5  a.m.  General 
Vandamme  visited  me  at  an  early  hour — very  civil  and 
conversible.  Talked  of  his  Dutch  and  German  cam- 
paigns— much  about  Stutgardt,  and  the  ruined  state  of 
the  Duchy  of  Wurtemberg,  and  the  pride  and  etiquette 
of  the  Duke.  Spoke  of  Count  Walmodcn,  General  Har- 
court,  Fox,  Abercroml)y,  &c.  His  chief  object  seemed 
to  be,  to  declare  himself  a  partisan  of  Morcau  and 
Pichegru.  He  returned  to  Cassel,  wliere  his  family  live  ; 
he  is  about  twenty-seven,  and  looks  like  a  Dutchman. 
Conference — nothing  passed.  Maret  and  Ducos  called 
after  dinner.  Long  conversation  with  Maret :  he  said 
that   General  Vandamme  was    a    suspicious  character  ; 

•  Sunianied  Lc  Beau  Dillon. 


1797.]  LISLE.  501 

that  his  visit  to  me  was  an  insidious  one  ;  that  he  would 
spread  false  reports  of  our  conversation  ;  and,  Maret 
said,  he  was  sorry  he  had  not  let  me  know  his  cha- 
racter yesterday.  I  told  him  the  substance  of  what 
passed  between  us,  and  the  apparent  nature  of  his  visit. 
He  said  Yandamme  was  "  un  brave  militaire,  mais  sa 
morale  n'^toit  pas  sans  reproche ;"  that  he  was  always 
in  motion,  and  was  sent  by  the  adverse  party  from  one 
place  to  another,  to  collect  news  and  give  dangerous  im- 
pressions. Maret  then  went  very  confidentially  into  the 
Dutch  business  ;  he  read  me  the  extract  of  a  letter  from 
Guiraudet  (first  secretary  to  Talleyrand)  ;  it  says,  "  Nos 
amis  dans  les  marais  font  les  reveches  d'une  maniere 
inconcevable  ; — Je  ne  consols  rien  a  leur  conduite  ;  ils 
nous  parlent  sans  menagement,  et  nous  manquent  dans 
les  formes  ;  ainsi  le  Directoire  les  traitent  a  Favenant,  et 
a  exige  une  reponse  cat^gorique  et  conforme  a  ses  voeux." 
Maret  commented  on  this  :  he  said  he  believed  their 
obstinacy  came  from  the  expression  emploj^ed  in  one  of 
my  memorials  last  year,  in  which  I  stated  that,  if  the 
Stadtholderian  form  of  government  was  re-established, 
the  King  would  not  insist  on  such  great  cessions ;  that 
this  expression  was  taken  up  by  the  partisans  of  the 
Prince  of  Orange,  and  used  successfully  in  the  Batavian 
Republic  in  general,  to  induce  them  to  resist  the  pro- 
posals of  the  Directory.  I  treated  this  as  a  very  far- 
fetched conjecture,  and  void  of  foundation  ;  that  it  was 
idle  to  refer  to  what  had  been  said  under  circumstances 
so  very  different  from  the  present ;  that  the  Dutch 
must  be  aware  of  this,  and  that  he  and  the  Directory 
knew  what  our  present  idea  about  Holland  was  ;  and 
that  it  could  not  be  supposed,  either  in  wisdom  or  good 
faith,  that  we  could  encourage  (for  Maret  seemed  to  have 
a  suspicion  of  this  sort)  a  conduct  equally  in  contra- 
diction to  both.  He  said  he  was  pleased  to  hear  this, 
and  did  away  his  apparent  doubts  by  the  strongest  pro- 
fessions of  belief.  I  went  on  by  saying,  it  was  much 
more  natural  to  account  for  this  inconsiderate  conduct 
in  the  Dutch  from  the  internal  state  of  their  own  coun- 
try— from  "  I'exaltation  de  leur  tetes,  surtout  des  tetes 


502  DIARIES   AND    CORRESPONDENCE.  [1797. 

gouvernantes,  et  probablement  des  avis  que  ces  Messieurs 
continueroient  a  recevoir  cVici  du  parti  au  qu'il  ils 
tenoient,"  Maret  said,  certainly  not ;  that  on  this  point 
the  Directory  were  unanimous,  and  that  he  found  the 
Dutch  plenipotentiaries  at  Paris  to  be  prejudiced  and 
insufficient  men. 

I  said  "  que  cette  affaire  languissoit  trop  longtemps ; 
que  si  les  Hollandois  ne  vouloient  pas  entendre  raison, 
qu'il  faudroit  leur  forcer  la  main  et  declarer  qu'on  feroit 
la  paix  sans  eux."  Maret  assented  to  this  ;  and  I  quoted 
the  last  peace  as  a  sort  of  precedent.  In  regard  to  Spain, 
he  continued  in  the  same  language.  He  added,  "  il  y  a 
une  communication  du  reste  etablie  entre  le  Prince"^"  de 
la  Paix  et  le  Ministre  au  Relations  Exterieures,  et  nous 
sommes  maitres  de  la  conduite  de  la  Cour  de  Madrid." 

It  struck  me  as  he  read  a  short  letter  from  Guiraudet, 
that  he  put  a  much  larger  one  in  his  pocket,  which  he  had 
drawn  out  of  it  at  the  same  time,  saying,  with  a  melan- 
choly air,  "Ceci  regarde  mes  affaires  particulieres  qui 
sont  tres  derang(^s  par  des  vols  qu'out  m'a  fait,  tant 
chez  FEtranger,  qu'en  France."  I  said  "  I  trusted  que 
L'Ambassade  d'Augleterre  reparerait  tout  cela ;'"  and, 
without  waiting  for  his  answer,  I  went  on  by  dwelling 
on  the  extreme  importance  of  having  a  well-disposed  and 
cool-headed  person  for  that  Embassy — one  who,  like  him, 
had  "  les  usages  du  grand  monde,  Fhabitude  des  affaires, 
et  aussi  etoit  sans  pr^juges."  This  I  saw  pleased  him  :  he 
affected  modesty  and  diffidence— mentioned  Talleyrand 
and  Chauvelin  as  proper  persons.  I  said,  Talleyrand 
would  not  surely  quit  the  office  he  now  held,  and  that 
Chauvelin  n'etoit  pas  en  mesure.  Maret  assented,  and 
intimated  that  if  he  was  asked  for,  it  would  forward  his 
nomination.  He  then  told  all  the  story  of  his  two  jour- 
neys to  England,  in  1792  and  1793  ;  his  connexion  with 
Le    Brun.f      He  said  Mr.  Pitt  had   received   him  very 

*  Godoy,  the  all-poAvcrful  favourite  of  Charles  IV.,  and  also  of  his  Queen. 

t  Maret's  first  mission  related  to  the  domestic  concerns  of  the  Duke  of 
Orleans.  He  had  an  interview  with  Mr.  Pitt,  and  gave  a  favourahle  aeeouut 
of  it  to  tlic  Convention,  who  sent  liim  over  again  in  January,  1793,  witli  a  con- 
ciliatory mission,  which  was  rendered  nugatory  by  tlie  nuu'der  t)f  Louis 
XVI.     Le  Brun,  French  Minister  for  Foreign  Affains  in  1792-93. 


1797.]  LISLE.  503 

well,  and  that  the  failure  of  his  negotiation  could  be 
attributed  to  the  then  French  Government,  who  were 
bent  on  that  war ;  that  the  great  and  decisive  cause  of 
the  war  was  "  quelques  vingtaines  d'individus  marquans 
et  en  place  qui  avoient  joues  a  la  baisse  dans  les  fonds, 
et  la  ils  avaient  porte  la  Nation  a  nous  declarer  la 
guerre.  Ainsi,"  said  he,  "  nous  devons  tous  nos  malheurs 
a  un  principe  d' agiotage^  He  said,  on  his  return  to 
France,  he  was  informed  of  this,  and  was  considered  as  in 
possession  of  so  dangerous  a  secret,  that  they  wanted  first 
to  send  him  to  Portugal,  which  he  refused ;  then  to 
Naples,  which  he  was  forced  to  accept ;  and  that  he  had 
every  reason  to  believe,  that  his  arrest  and  confinement 
were  settled  and  concerted  at  Paris  before  he  left.  He 
said  he  spent  thirty  months  in  prison,  partly  at  Mantua 
(where,  if  he  had  staid,  he  must  have  died),  and  partly  in 
the  Tyrol  ;  that  the  academicians  in  Mantua,  out  of 
regard  to  the  memory  and  character  of  his  father,  in- 
terested themselves  about  him,  and  that  he  believed  he 
owed  his  change  of  prison  to  them ;  that,  after  all,  his 
long  confinement  saved  his  life,  as  he  certainly  should 
have  been  guillotined  had  he  remained  in  France,  under 
the  government  of  Robespierre.  I  inquired  whether  Le 
R6veilli^re  Lepaux  being  President  instead  of  Barthelemi 
was  of  consequence.  He  said,  inasmuch  as  declamatory 
and  inflammatory  speeches  can  do  harm,  but  no  farther ; 
— that  four  Directors  must  be  present  at  all  delibera- 
tions, and  that  the  President  cannot  conceal  any  measure 
resolved  on  from  any  member  of  the  Directory.  Maret 
said  it  was  indolence,  and  perhaps  timidity,  which  had 
induced  Barthelemi  not  to  have  pushed  for  it.  The  Presi- 
dency was  his  right  by  turn,  and  it  was  very  foolish  of 
him  to  have  given  way.  We  then  talked  over  the  preli- 
minary Notes  which  had  passed  on  the  opening  of  this 
negotiation.  I  said  I  was  mentioned  so  disagreeably  in 
one  of  them  as  to  be  very  near  declining  the  commission. 
He  said  it  was  very  natural ;  but  they  were  drawn  by 
Charles  Delacroix,  "  qui  n'entendoit  rien  aux  devoirs  de  sa 
place  et  aux  ])ienseances  ; "  and  he  told  me  that  he  and 
his  colleagues,  from  whom  tliese  Notes  had  been  with- 


504  DIARIES  AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [1797- 

held  until  they  were  setting  out,  declared  unanimously 
that  the  advantage  was  all  on  our  side,  both  as  to  the 
matter  and  style.     He  ridiculed  the  absurd  stipulations 
about   packet-boats,    and    the    pompous    expression    of 
"  etablir  un  principe,"  when  applicable  to  packet-boats. 
He  also  strongly  reprobated  the  form  in  which  my  pass- 
port was  drawn  up,  which  after  all,  however,  he  said, 
operated  more  against   them  than  against  us  ;  and  he 
applauded  and  admired  our  forbearance  and  temper  on 
this  occasion.     In  regard  to  my  nomination,  he  said  the 
day  it  was  known,  he,  Talleyrand,  and  several  others,  were 
at  dinner  with  Barras,  to  whom  Barthelemi  mentioned  it. 
They  all  agreed  that  it  was  a  favourable  omen  for  peace  ; 
that  the  Mission  would  not  have  been  offered  to  me,  or 
I  accepted  it,  had  the  intentions  not  been  sincere  and 
admissible;  and  that  the  words^'  used  in  the  Note  were 
Charles  Delacroix's  own,  and  the  Note  was  sent  before 
he  communicated  it  to  any  one.     He  said,  they  really 
were  ashamed   of  the  idle  aspersions   which  had  been 
allowed  to  be  propagated  about  me  when  I  was  at  Paris, 
and  still  more  for  the  brutal  manners  of  Charles  Delacroix. 
I  said  that,  as  to  the  aspersions,  I  forgave  them  heartily  ; 
that,  as  for  Charles  Delacroix,  "  Je  commen9ois  a,  croire 
qu'il  se  vantoit  de  m'avoir  mal  traite  ;  puisque  dans  le 
fond  il  a  toujours  eu  vis-a-vis  de  moi  des  manieres  tr^s 
honnetes."     Maret  smiled.     I  said,  I  spoke  strictly  true  ; 
that  he   was   very   observant  of  everything  I  did,  and 
always  did   the    same  ;    that  now  and   then   he   tried 
terrification,  by  letting  out  some  strong  Jacobin  phrases  ; 
but  when  he  found  this  kind  of  declamation  did  not 
aifect  me,  he  left  it  oif. 

Maret  brought  a  letter  from  Talleyrand  to  Huskisson. 
We  went  together  at  a  late  hour  to  the  play,  and  after- 
wards walked  round  the  town.  Colchen  came  into  my 
box,  and  we  had  a  very  pleasant  and  reasonable  conversa- 
tion. 

*  Carping  at  Lord  Malmcsbury  being  the  person  appointed. 


1797.]  LISLE.  505 

[The  following  despatch  deserves  attention,  as  it  is  a 
good  recapitulation  and  explanation  of  the  events  at  Lisle 
to  the  present  date.] 

EXTRACTS    OF   A    DESPATCH    FROM    LORD    MALMESBURY    TO 

LORD    GRENVILLE. 

Lisle,  29th  Aug.,  1797. 

It  is  so  important  to  ascertain  with  precision,  whether 
the  reasons  alleged  by  the  French  Plenipotentiaries  for 
delaying  the  Negotiation  are  really  founded  in  truth, 
that  I  have  spared  no  pains  to  investigate  this  very 
essential  circumstance  ;  and  although,  from  its  nature, 
it  is  impossible  to  get  at  anything  like  demonstration, 
yet  I  consider  it  as  my  duty  to  submit  to  your  Lord- 
ship the  result  of  my  researches,  rather  in  the  hopes 
of  enabling  His  Majesty's  Government  to  form  a  safe 
opinion,  than  from  the  wish  of  suggesting  one  of  my 
own. 

I  see  no  better  mode  of  discovering  the  degree  of 
credit  which  ought  to  be  attached  to  the  language  of  the 
French  Legation,  than  by  a  summary  recapitidation  of 
what  has  passed,  examining  whether  their  assurances 
have  hitherto  been  contradicted  by  facts,  and  whether 
from  the  whole  (when  seen  at  once)  we  shall  have  rea- 
sons to  conclude  that  their  professions  have  been  sincere, 
or  that  their  conduct  has  been  contrived  with  a  vicAv  of 
concealing  some  secret  and  treacherous  purpose. 

If  we  connect  the  very  unsatisfactory  result  of  our 
Conferences  with  what  we  hear  from  every  quarter,  there 
is  reason  to  suppose  that  when  the  Directory  agreed  to  a 
renewal  of  a  pacific  negotiation  with  His  JMajesty,  it  was 
done  much  more  with  a  view  of  avoiding  a  direct  opposi- 
tion to  the  universal  wishes  of  this  nation,  than  with 
a  sincere  intention  to  negotiate.  They,  however,  were 
studious  to  assume  every  appearance  of  being  in  earnest, 
and  their  Legation  was  sent  here  surrounded  with  more 
diplomatic  appendages  than  ever  were  employed  on  a 
similar  occasion.  I,  too,  had  my  share  in  tliis  parade, 
and  was  received  on  the  road,  and  on  my  arrival,  with 


506  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [l797. 

a  very  unusual  and  aiFected  degree  of  attention  and 
ceremony. 

The  most  formal  civility  subsisted  between  myself  and 
the  French  Plenipotentiaries  during  our  first  interviews  ; 
not  a  word  irrelevant  to  the  great  subject  in  discussion 
was  pronounced  on  either  side,  and  we  were  perfect 
strangers  to  each  '  other  except  at  the  moment  of  our 
Conferences  ;  and  there  is  little  doubt  that  the  majority 
of  the  Directory,  when,  on  the  16th  of  July,  they  set 
forth  their  extravagant  claim  of  a  general  restitution  of 
all  His  Majesty's  conquests,  expected,  and  probably 
hoped,  that  the  Negotiation  would  be  broken  ofi",  either 
by  my  immediate  act,  or  by  that  of  His  Majesty's 
Government. 

In  the  mean  time,  however,  enough  of  the  reasonable- 
ness and  moderation  of  His  Majesty's  proposals  transpired 
to  create  a  strong  peace  party  in  the  Councils,  and  to 
make  the  Directory  hesitate  as  to  the  safety  of  abruptly 
ending  the  Negotiation.  The  able  and  temperate  in- 
structions I  received  from  your  Lordship,  and  from  which 
I  formed  the  Note  I  gave  in  on  the  24th  of  July,  further 
contributed  to  defeat  the  object  of  the  ill-intentioned 
Directors,  and  to  assist  those  who  "wished  to  see  the 
Negotiation  terminate  successfully.  This  Note  is  a  great 
period  in  the  Negotiation  :  everything  which  has  passed 
since  bears  reference  to  it,  or  arises  out  of  it ;  and  the 
event,  whatever  it  may  be,  will  be  determined  by  it. 

Your  Lordship  will  recollect,  that,  innnediately  after 
the  reception  of  the  hostile  answer  to  our  projct,  an 
overture  was  made  to  me  on  the  part  of  the  pacific  party 
in  this  country,  that  the  conduct  which  they  meant  to 
pursue  was  at  the  same  time  communicated  to  me,  and 
that  they  professed  to  found  all  their  hopes  of  peace  on 
delay,  and  on  the  suggestion  of  such  an  expedient  to  the 
Directory,  as,  without  forcing  them  to  a  direct  and  open 
renunciation  of  the  principle  on  which  they  founded  their 
haughty  message,  should  still  leave  the  door  open  to 
further  negotiation.  The  channel  through  wliicli  this 
connnunication  was  made  to  nie  was  certainly  liable  to 
suspicion  ;  but  when  it  is  considered  that  Cliarlcs  Dela- 


1797.]  LISLE.  507 

croix  was  at  that  time  ]\Iinister,  and  that  consequently 
the  proposal  made  to  me  was  attended  with  extreme 
hazard  to  those  from  whom  it  came,  while  /  luas  in  no 
shape  committed,  and  that  the  success  of  the  parties  con- 
cerned in  their  future  prospects  was  apparently  staked  on 
the  event,  it  was  very  difficult  not  to  afford  it  a  con- 
siderable degree  of  credit.  I  dwell  the  more  on  this, 
because  most  of  what  I  am  about  to  say  rests  principally 
on  this  authority — principally,  but  not  wholly,  since  your 
Lordship  knows  it  has  been  nearly  all  confirmed  through 
two  other  sources  of  intelligence,  quite  distinct  from  this, 
and  each  of  them  in  their  way  as  well  entitled  to  belief 
as  any  information  of  this  sort  can  be. 

Almost  immediately  after  the  dismission  of  Ch.  De- 
lacroix, and  very  soon  after  the  arrival  of  my  Note  at 
Paris,  I  was  told  that  the  Directory  were  disposed  to 
depart  from  their  extravagant  claim ;  that  they  had 
brought  it  forward  because  it  was  a  duty  imposed  upon 
them  by  their  engagements  with  their  Allies,  and  that, 
this  duty  performed,  they  were  now  prepared  to  try  all 
means  of  persuasion  with  their  Allies  to  induce  them, 
for  the  sake  of  peace,  so  necessary  to  all  parties,  to  re- 
lease France  from  its  engagements,  and  consent  on  their 
part  to  some  such  cession  of  territory  as  went  to  meet 
the  proposals  made  Ijy  His  Majesty  ;  and  this,  which  was 
communicated  to  me  through  my  secret  channel,  was  con- 
firmed fully  to  me  officially  in  some  of  the  subsequent 
Conferences. 

Holland,  I  was  told,  was  much  more  difficult  to  man- 
age than  Spain,  and  my  informant  gave  me  a  detailed 
account  of  the  steps  which  had  been  taken  with  a  view 
to  reconcile  the  Dutch  to  the  terms  proposed.  He  ac- 
quainted me  with  the  order  sent  to  M.  Noel,  the  journey 
of  Count  Cabarras  to  the  Hague  ;  and  Your  Lordship  may 
recollect  about  this  time  the  dexterity  with  which  he  en- 
deavoured to  draw  from  me  an  avowal,  whether  we  were 
disposed  to  give  way  or  not  in  our  demands  on  the 
Dutch.  All  this  passed  between  the  25th  July  and  the 
6th  August,  when  Lord  G.  Leveson  went  to  England. 
From  that  time  my  informant  has  continued  to  give  me 


508  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [1797. 

regular  accounts  of  what  has  passed  between  the  French 
and  Dutch  Governments.  M.  Noel's  first  letters  written 
to  this  place,  and  dated  the  5th,  appeared  to  be  en- 
couraging ;  but  he  represented  Holland  as  in  such  a  state 
of  confusion,  and  the  Batavian  Directory  so  timid,  as  not 
to  speak  with  confidence  as  to  their  final  answer  ;  and,  in 
fact,  the  new  Dutch  Plenipotentiaries,  who  arrived  at 
Paris  about  the  8th  instant,  gave  one  on  the  10th,  which 
contained  in  substance  a  refusal  to  agree  to  any  cession, 
and  insisted  strongly  that  the  French  Government  should 
fulfil  the  stipulations  of  their  Treaty.  This  answer  M. 
Talleyrand  took  upon  himself  to  send  back  as  insufficient, 
improper,  and  not  likely  to  be  attended  to  by  the  Di- 
rectory ;  and  my  informant  explained  this  bold  measure 
by  saying,  although  it  was  done  without  the  knowledge 
of  the  Directory,  yet  it  had  the  previous  consent  of  the 
two  friendly  Directors  and  some  other  mem])ers  of  the 
Government,  who  were  determined  to  support  him  in  case 
he  should  be  called  to  account.  On  the  19  th  instant  a 
second  answer  was  delivered  by  the  Dutch  ]\Iinisters, 
which  M.  Talleyrand,  although  he  was  dissatisfied  with  it, 
could  not  venture  to  suppress.  The  Directory,  however, 
found  it  so  puzzled  and  obscure  (i.e.  entortilU),  and  so 
little  answering  their  expectations,  that  they  immediately 
ordered  it  to  be  returned  to  the  Dutch  Ministers,  and  in- 
structed M.  Talleyrand  to  say,  in  their  name,  that 
nothing  short  of  an  unqualified  compliance  with  their 
request  could  be  admitted.  The  Dutch  jMinisters  were 
not  empowered  to  take  this  upon  themselves,  but  on  the 
23rd  they  referred  it  by  express  to  their  Government. 
I  am  told  it  will  require  about  ten  days  before  the 
answer  can  be  known  here  ;  of  course  a  further  delay  is 
incurred,  and  it  will  not  be  till  the  end  of  this  week  or 
the  beginning  of  the  next,  that  we  may  expect  to  resume 
the  negotiations. 

Such  is  the  manner,  My  Lord,  in  which  the  slowness 
of  our  proceedings  is  accounted  for. 

You  will  oljserve,  My  Lord,  that  the  cause  of  this 
delay  is  attributed  solely  to  the  Dutch  ;  and  that, 
although  I  very  frequently  have  mentioned  the  Court  of 


1797.]  LISLE.  509 

Madrid,  it  never  was  alleged   that  any  great  difficulty 
would  come  from  that  quarter. 

In  regard  to  Holland,  I  could  not  avoid  observing, 
when  I  heard  from  my  informant  so  much  about  the 
difficulty  of  getting  a  satisfactory  answer  from  thence, 
that  this  circumstance  appeared  to  me  as  somewhat  ex- 
traordinary, and  not  quite  compatible  with  the  pacific 
intentions  he  assured  me  belonged  to  the  French  Govern- 
ment, for  whom  I  considered  that  the  Batavian  Republic 
was  little  more  than  a  state  dependant  on  France. 

To  this  I  received  the  following  answer:  —  That  I 
could  not  be  unacquainted  with  the  internal  situation  of 
this  country,  of  the  struggle  between  the  Councils  and 
the  Directory,  of  the  different  opinions,  not  only  in  the 
Directory,  but  amongst  some  of  the  leading  members  of 
the  Government,  and  that  one  of  the  most  material  points 
on  which  they  disagreed  was  as  to  the  question  of  wa?'  or 
peace  luith  England.  That  two  months  ago  the  war 
party  was  certainly  the  most  prevalent ;  that  now  it  was 
hoped  the  greater  weight  was  in  the  other  scale  ;  but 
still,  that  the  question  was  by  no  means  so  far  determined 
as  to  leave  it  in  their  power  to  employ  strong  measures, 
or  such  as  might  furnish  their  antagonists  with  a  pre- 
tence for  arraigning  their  conduct ;  that  great  mtnage- 
mens  and  skill  were  still  necessary,  and  that  any  at- 
tempts to  force  matters  would  still  risk  the  loss  of  the 
vantage-ground  on  which  they  stood.  That  it  was,  in- 
deed, notorious  that  France  governed  Holland  ;  and  if, 
when  the  negotiation  first  was  set  on  foot,  the  Directory 
had  thought  proper  to  prepare  the  Dutch,  and  to  tell 
them  what  would  be  ultimately  expected  of  them,  and 
what  they  must  submit  to,  all  these  delays  would  have 
been  spared  ;  but  the  Directory  then  were  not  disposed 
to  take  any  steps  preparatory  to  peace  ;  and  now,  when 
they  were  induced  to  promote  this  measure,  it  was  much 
less  from  their  own  choice  than  from  the  management  of 
the  Minister  for  Foreign  Affairs,  and  from  the  sentiments 
which  prevailed  in  the  public.  However  ready,  therefore, 
they  might  be  to  dictate  to  Holland  on  any  other  occa- 
sion, on  this  they  certainly  would  affect  to  treat  her  as  a 


510  DIARIES  AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [1797. 

free  and  independent  state,  and  to  omit  none  of  the  forms 
used  towards  one ;  and  the  authoritative  tone  the  Direc- 
tory had  assumed  in  their  last  Message  to  the  Dutch  Pleni- 
potentiaries might  be  considered  as  a  great  point  gained. 

I  appeared  satisfied  with  what  I  heard.  I  only  ad- 
verted to  what  was  said  as  to  the  good  disposition  of  M. 
Talleyrand.  I  questioned  seriously  his  being  really 
desirous  of  peace  ;  and,  above  all,  I  supposed  in  him  a 
rooted  dislike  to  England.  I  was  answered  by  one  short 
word,  that  it  was  his  interest  to  make  peace ;  that  he 
could  not  retain  his  oflSce  if  war  continued,  but  would  be 
dismissed  from  it  probably  with  disgrace,  because  he  was 
not  liked  or  cordially  trusted  by  the  three  Directors  ; 
whereas,  if  peace  with  England  was  made  under  his  direc- 
tions, it  would  give  him  such  a  degree  of  popularity  and 
consequence,  that  it  would  fix  him  in  ofiEice,  and  probably 
give  him  a  greater  share  of  power  than  any  head  of  a 
Ministerial  Department  had  possessed  since  the  Revolution. 

After  having  obtained  this  sort  of  explanation,  which, 
as  far  as  it  goes,  seems  to  shew  that  the  delay  produced 
by  the  Dutch  was  neither  wished  for,  nor  likely  to  prove 
advantageous  to  the  Directory,  it  remained  with  me  to 
endeavour  to  procure  some  means  of  judging  whether,  in 
any  other  point  of  view,  this  delay  of  the  negotiation 
would  appear  more  suitable  to  their  interests. 

I  remarked  that  it  was  perhaps  resolved  on  by  the  Di- 
rectory to  wait  for  the  signing  of  the  definitive  treaty 
with  the  Emperor  before  they  proceeded  on  that  with 
England,  and  that  this  measure  might  be  adopted  either 
to  gratify  a  little  national  pride,  by  having  it  to  say  that 
England  was  left  the  last,  and  alone  in  the  war,  or  from 
an  idea  of  bringing  Buonaparte  and  his  Italian  army  into 
France,  to  be  employed  on  a  general  attack  on  our  coasts. 

My  informant  treated  these  as  very  ill-founded  conjec- 
tures. He  said  everything  was  so  far  settled  between  the 
French  Republic  and  the  Emperor,  that  what  remained  to 
be  done  was  purely  matter  of  form  ;  and  that,  if  the  in- 
sulating England  was  the  great  object  of  the  Directory,  it 
was  already  as  effectually  done  as  if  they  had  received 
the  news  of  the  signature  of  the  Treaty  at  Udinc. 


1797.]  LISLE.  511 

That  as  to  tlie  idea  of  bringing  Buonaparte  Imck  to 
France,  he  himself  was  not  at  all  disposed  to  listen  to 
such  a  proposal ;  and  if  he  did,  his  return,  with  the 
temper  and  spirit  which  belonged  to  his  army,  would 
cause  infinitely  more  alarm  to  the  nation  than  we  should 
feel  by  the  menace  of  an  attack  on  our  coasts  under  his 
direction  ;  and  this  led  me  to  the  last  point  on  which  I 
wished  to  push  my  inquiries,  viz.,  whether  the  apprehen- 
sion of  the  7'eturn  of  the  nmneroiis  armies  into  the  coun- 
try did  not  make  the  Directory,  and  perhaps  the  nation 
in  general,  less  eager  in  their  wishes  for  jjeace  than  they 
would  otherwise  be. 

My  informant  admitted  my  remarks  to  be  very  just ; 
but  added  that,  accustomed  as  these  troops  were  to  live 
on  free  quarters,  it  was  almost  equally  dangerous  to  re- 
form them,  or  to  keep  them  collected.  But,  continued 
he,  you  will  recollect  that  this  danger  is  nearly  the  same, 
whether  we  have  peace  with  England  or  not ;  since  the 
moment  we  cease  hostilities  on  the  Continent,  these 
armies  must  retire  from  their  present  situation  into  this 
country,  and  remain  in  it  nearly  without  employment ; 
for,  as  to  the  idea  of  an  invasion  of  England,  it  will  very 
soon  be  found  to  be  chimerical :  and,  indeed,  were  it  to 
be  seriously  resolved  upon,  it  could,  from  the  state  of  our 
marine,  only  employ  a  small  numljer  of  these  troops  ;  and 
the  tedious  preparations  attendant  on  every  maritime 
expedition  would  be  such  as  these  soldiers,  used  to  rapid 
and  decided  operations,  would  not  submit  to,  and  they 
would  either  mutiny  or  desert  before  the  expedition 
could  be  got  ready. 

I  have  now.  My  Lord,  related,  to  the  best  of  my  me- 
mory, everything  I  have  heard  which  can  contribute  to 
throw  any  light  on  the  question  which  induced  me  to 
trouble  Your  Lordship  with  this  very  long  despatch. 
With  these  materials,  I  hope  Ilis  Majesty's  Ministers  will 
be  empowered  to  judge  with  tolerable  safety  whether  the 
French  Government  are  sincere  in  the  intention  of  mak- 
ing peace,  and  whether  the  obstacles  which  retard  the 
progress  of  the  Negotiation  are  genuine  or  feigned ;  and 
in  either  case  it  will  still  remain,  perhaps,  a  matter  of 


512  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [l797. 

doubt  whether  this  delay  is  to  be  regretted  by  us  ;  and 
whether,  should  it  be  the  effect  of  design,  the  French  are 
not  overreaching  themselves  by  their  own  cunning. 


LETTER    FROM    LORD   MALMESBURY    TO    MR.    CANNING. 

Lisle,  Thursday,  Aug.  29tli,  1797. 

My  Dear  Canning. — I  consider  the  Portuguese  peace, 
from  the  manner  in  which  it  has  been  taken  up,*  as  an 
event  very  likely  to  break  off  the  Negotiation,  and,  I 
much  fear,  in  a  way  that  will  not  leave  us  any  favourable 
appeal  to  make  to  this  nation  on  our  departure,  nor  any 
which  will  be  satisfactory  or  intelligible  to  our  own  on 
our  return. 

I  was  not  more  explicit  on  this  subject  in  my  last 
private  letters,  because  so  many  ideas  crowded  into  my 
mind  at  once,  that  I  could  not  methodize  them.  I  was 
vexed  and  out  of  humour,  and  felt  it  necessary  to  com- 
mune quietly  with  myself  before  I  ventured  giving  a 
serious  opinion  to  you  upon  it. 

As  to  my  official  letters,  they  were  answers  to  instruc- 
tions— to  instructions  so  forcibly  inculcated  as  to  produce 
rather  unpleasant  sensations ;  and  in  replying  to  such, 
you  know  there  is  no  medium  between  a  resignation  of 
opinion  or  resignation  of  office. 

De  Aranjo  and  Ch.  Delacroix,  to  whom  the  drawing  up 
of  the  articles  was  left,  meant  that  they  should  Ije  as  in- 
jurious to  us  as  possible,  and  produce  on  our  minds  pre- 
cisehj  the  impression  they  have.  A  little  pique  in  both 
of  them  against  me,  and  a  rooted  hatred  to  England,  ac- 
tuated their  conduct.  De  Aranjo  knew  he  exceeded  his 
powers,  foresaw  the  danger  he  ran  of  disgrace  and  confis- 
cation of  his  property,  but  he  also  saw  the  cruel  dilemma 
in  which  he  placed  his  Court  if  I  refused  to  ratify.  He 
depended  a  little  on  the  word  peace  to  popularize  him  in 

*  Tlie  English  Government  insisted  on  the  Queen  of  Portugal  refusing 
to  ratify  tlie  Peace  with  France  made  hy  Aranjo  witliout  authority.  Her 
Faithful  Majesty  had  no  right  to  do  so  without  our  consent. 


1797.]  LISLE.  51 


Q 


his  own  country,  and,  at  all  events,  he  is  sure  of  an  asy- 
lum in  this. 

Their  object,  I  repeat,  was  to  perplex  and  anger  us. 
They  have  done  both,  and  the  latter  so  effectually,  that  it 
will,  I  fear,  in  its  consequences,  greatly  add  to  the  for- 
mer.    It  will  plunge  us  into  a  sea  of  troubles. 

It  will  make  us  deviate  from  our  straight-forward  line 
of  conduct,  and  fix  upon  us  the  imputation  (from  which 
we  could  not  easily  exculpate  ourselves)  of  being  the 
aggressors  in  breaking  off  the  Negotiation. 

Do  not  suppose  me  ignorant  of,  or  insensible  to,  the 
immense  detriment  that  this  Treaty  must  cause  to  Eng- 
land. I  see  it  in  as  strong  a  point  of  view  as  it  can  be 
seen  by  those  who  apprehend  such  serious  consequences 
from  it ;  but  when  I  compare  these  consequences,  which 
may  be  distant  ones  (and  which,  therefore,  we  may  have 
time  to  correct  and  palliate),  with  those  which  appear  to 
be  the  immediate  ones,  we  bring  on  ourselves  and  Portu- 
gal, by  insisting  on  the  non-ratification  of  this  Treaty,  I 
do  not  hesitate,  in  this  option  of  evils,  as  to  that  which 
we  should  choose. 

The  question  of  peace  or  war  must  in  a  short  time  be 
decided.  If  we  have  peace,  the  effects  of  this  Treaty  are 
suspended,  and  we  shall  have  time  to  amend,  or  perhaps 
to  annul  it.  There  are,  I  conceive,  no  articles  very  mate- 
rially injurious  to  us  except  the  fourth  and  fifth,  which 
are  war  articles  ;  and  I  would  set  out  by  taking  it  for 
granted,  that  those  two  articles  are  binding  only  during 
the  present  war.  The  words  "  pendant  le  cours  de  la 
presente  guerre,"  are  to  be  found  in  the  fourth  article  ; 
and  the  engagements  entered  into  by  the  fifth,  without 
any  very  forced  construction,  may  be  considered  as  under 
the  same  limitation.  I  would  say  this  quietly  and  gently 
at  Lisbon.  I  would  obtain  some  written  acknoAvledge- 
ment  from  Her  Most  Faithful  Majesty  that  such  was  her 
intention,  and  such  the  sense  in  which  she  understood  the 
Treaty.  With  this  paper  to  produce  at  the  beginning  of 
another  war,  we  may  use  the  Portuguese  ports  as  we  have 
done  hitherto,  provided  the  French  (as  it  is  reasonable  to 
expect)  should  be  less  powerful  than  at  present.     Should 

VOL.  in.  2  L 


514  DIARIES  AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [l797. 

they  be  more,  or  equally  so,  no  treaties,  no  engagements, 
no  precautions  will  avail,  and  force  alone  must  detennine 
the  sense  of  these  articles.  And  one  of  my  chief  argu- 
ments for  temporizing  rests  on  the  conviction  I  have  in 
my  own  mind,  that  peace  will  debilitate  France,  and  check 
in  its  progress  the  destructive  system  it  has  hitherto  pur- 
sued so  successfully ;  while  the  events  of  another  year's 
war  may  (as  I  shall  state  presently),  even  exhausted  as 
France  is,  still  give  it  the  means  of  persevering  in  it,  to  a 
degree  that  may  be  fatal  to  us  all.  But  supposing  the 
other  case,  viz.,  that  our  Lisle  Treaty  breaks  off,  and  the 
war  is  prolonged,  with  these  engagements  existing  be- 
tween France  and  Portugal,  all  cause  of  invasion  of  that 
country  will,  of  course,  be  at  an  end.  Portugal  may  pro- 
test against  the  violation  of  its  ports  (for  they  must  be 
violated),  and  she  may  state  to  France  her  disposition, 
but,  at  the  same  time,  her  inability,  to  perform  her  en- 
gagements. Should  France  not  be  contented  with  this 
declaration,  but  quarrel  with  the  Court  of  Lisbon,  England 
will  have  the  choice  (Portugal  having  so  manifestly  broken 
faith  with  her  by  this  recent  transaction  of  Aranjo's)  to 
afford  it  assistance  or  not,  and  time  will  be  gained  to  put 
that  country  into  a  better  state  of  defence  than  at  pre- 
sent ;  and  you  may  be  certain  that  Spain,  once  relieved 
from  the  dread  and  anxiety  of  seeing  a  French  array 
march  through  her  provinces,  will  be  much  more  averse 
to  it  than  ever ;  and  Spain  alone,  I  will  be  bold  to  say, 
cannot  conquer  Portugal.  Remember,  I  am  only  lessen- 
ing, not  removing  difficulties  and  dangers.  Many  and 
great  ones  belong  to  the  two  cases  I  have  just  put ;  but 
it  remains  to  be  seen  whether  the  third  case  (that  of  our 
forcing  Portugal  to  annul  the  Treaty  now)  Avill  not  lead 
to  difficulties  and  dangers  incomparably  greater. 

1st.  As  the  most  essential.  Is  the  spirit — or,  if  you 
please,  are  the  spirits — of  the  country  so  much  mended 
since  I  left  England,  as  to  consent  to  pursue  the  war  with 
alacrity  and  vigour,  after  they  are  told  that,  on  all  mate- 
rial points  of  discussion  and  compensation,  England  and 
France  were  agreed,  and  that  the  Treaty  of  peace  broke 
olF,  solely  on  account  of  stipulations  Portugal  had  entered 


1797.]  LISLE.  515 

into  with  France  ;  stipulations  which,  thej  may  saj,  an 
independent  country  has  a  right  to  make  ?  An  assertion, 
by  the  way,  not  very  easy  to  disprove,  since  I  do  not 
think  the  19th  Article  of  the  Methuen  Treaty  meets  the 
question  fully,  and  there  is  no  other  immediately  applic- 
able, unless  it  be  the  1 4th  ;  and  what  is  said  there  has 
been  so  much  more  forcibly  expressed  by  everything  that 
has  recently  passed  between  England  and  Portugal,  that 
it  cannot  be  worth  adverting  to. 

2nd.  This  Treaty  d'Aranjo's  has  been  ratified  by  tlie 
Councils,  and  apparently  much  approved  by  them.  Our 
oversetting  it,  therefore,  will,  at  least  on  the  question  of 
war  with  England  (which,  after  all,  is  now  one  of  the 
great  points  of  dissension),  reunite  the  Councils  and  the 
Directory  ;  and  their  acting  in  concert  in  an  object  of 
this  magnitude  will  probably  tend  to  bring  them  together 
on  inferior  ones.  Their  union  will  operate  powerfully  on 
the  nation,  and  the  continuance  of  war  with  us  will  be- 
come as  popular  as  it  is  now  the  contrary.  Pause  here, 
for  a  moment,  and  reflect  on  England  and  France  fighting 
under  so  different  dispositions.  Is  it  fear  or  prudence 
that  makes  me  shrink  from  the  idea "? 

Sliould  we  not  be  exposed  to  an  hostile  attack  much 
more  dangerous  than  the  wild  ones  hitherto  projected  by 
the  Directory  alone,  against  the  judgment  and  inclinations 
of  the  country  at  large  %  And,  what  I  dread  infinitely 
more,  would  not  Government,  by  pursuing  this  line  of 
conduct,  so  greatly  unpopularize  itself,  as  to  risk  the 
overthrow,  not  only  of  administration,  but  with  it,  I  sin- 
cerely believe,  of  all  government  whatever  ? 

Portugal  and  its  ports  we  should  indisputably  lose ;  for 
what  have  we  just  now  to  oppose  to  the  defence  of  that 
country,  equal  to  what  our  enemies  can  bring  to  the 
attack  of  it  %  And  by  its  being  annexed  to  Spain,  or, 
what  is  worse,  revolutionized,  should  we  not  lose  irre- 
coverably those  advantages  which  seem  now  only  to  have 
escaped  us  for  a  while — advantages  which  patience,  dex- 
terity, and  the  chapter  of  accidents  may  restore  to  us,  but 
of  which  precipitation  would  deprive  us  for  ever  ? 

As  I  have  admitted  that  our  interests  are  materially 

2  L  2 


516  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [l797. 

injured  by  tliis  measure,  so  I  am  equally  ready  to  allow 
that  it  gratifies  the  amour  yropre  of  our  enemies,  and 
hurts  our  own  nearly  in  the  same  proportion  :  even  our 
national  dignity  may  be  said  to  be  slightly  wounded.  I 
do  not  mean  to  extenuate  any  part  of  the  mischief ;  I 
only  mean  to  contend,  that  this  is  not  the  moment  for 
attempting  to  repair  it.  I  may  be  wrong,  and  I  must 
suppose  myself  so  after  the  judgment  pronounced  by  the 
Cabinet  ;  but  I  cannot  alter  my  feelings,  and  I  need  not 
suppress  them  when  writing  to  you.  I  end,  therefore,  as 
I  began^  by  regretting  the  measure  we  have  adopted,  and 
by  looking  to  its  effects  with  an  uncommon  degree  of 
apprehension.  I  am,  &c. 

(Signed)        Malmesbury. 

[Mr.  Canning,  in  his  reply  to  this  letter,  regrets  equally 
the  course  taken  by  Government,  and  laments  that  it  did 
not  confine  itself  to  demanding  the  erasure  of  those 
articles  most  mischievous  to  us,  and  the  use  of  the  Por- 
tuguese ports  as  before.] 


[As  I  have  before  stated,  Lord  Grenville  Avas,  from  the 
beginning,  opposed  to  the  Negotiation  for  Peace,  but  gave 
way  to  Pitt,  who  saw  how  much  England  required  rest, 
and  how  much  he  strengthened  himself  in  public  opinion 
by  tendering  Peace  to  France,  and  leaving  to  her  the 
odium  of  a  refusal  or  a  rupture.  ]\lr.  Pitt  has  always 
been  held  up  to  the  present  generation  as  fond  of  war  : 
but  the  Harris  Papers  could  furnish  the  most  continued 
and  certain  evidence  of  the  contrary,  and  that  he  often 
suffered  all  the  agony  of  a  pious  man  who  is  forced  to 
fight  a  duel.  The  cold  and  haughty  temper  of  Lord 
Grenville  was  less  sensitive  ;  our  overtures  were  to  him 
synonymous  witli  degradation,  and  he  could  not  now 
brook  the  delays  of  the  Directory, 

Lord  Mahnesbury  entirely  agreed  with  Pitt,  and  at 
this  time  saw  a  fair  chance  of  obtaining  an  honorable 
peace.     This  will  explain  the  two  following  letters.] 


1797.]  LISLE.  51  7 


EXTRACT    OF    A    LETTER    FROM    LORD    MALMESBURY    TO     . 

MR.    CANNING. 

Lisle,  29tli  Aug.,  1797. 

I  WANT  to  say  a  few  private  words  to  you  on  my  own 
personal  feelings. 

You  must  have  perceived  that  the  instructions  and 
opinions  I  get  from  the  Minister  under  tvliose  orders  I 
am  bound  to  act,  accord  so  little  with  the  sentiments 
and  intentions  I  heard  expressed  by  the  Minister  uith 
whom  I  wish  to  act,  that  I  am  placed  in  a  very  dis- 
agreeable dilemma. 

If  I  do  not  conform  to  my  instructions,  I  am  guilty  of 
diplomatic  mutiny  ;  if  I  do  strictly,  and  up  to  the  letter 
of  them,  I  am  guilty  of  what  is  worse,  by  lending  myself 
to  promote  a  measure  I  think  essentially  wrong.      It  was 
under  this  impression  that  I  brought  forward  in  my  other 
private  letter  to  you,  the  alternative  of  resignation  of 
office  or  resignation  of  opinion.      Let  me  now  explain 
these  words  :   I  will  abandon,  readily  and  cheerfully,  my 
opinion,  as  long  as  we  are  all  travelling  to  the  same  place, 
and  not  quarrel  about  which  is  the  best  road  ;  but  if  we 
turn  back,  or  alter  the  object  in  view,  the  case  changes ; 
I   ought  to  give    way,  and  I    certainly   will  on    every 
point  which  does  not  materially  affect  the  principle  on 
which  we  started  ;   but  I  cannot  give  up  the   principle 
itself,  so  long  as  peace — to  be  procured  on  the  terms  and 
in  the  way  it  was  so  kindly  and  confidentially  explained 
to  me — is  our  end,   I   will   shrink  from   no   difficulties, 
repine  at  no  privations,  but  steadily  persevere  in  pursuit 
of  my  object,  till  either  it  is  attained  or  demonstrated 
to  be  unattainable.      But  if  another  opinion  has  been 
allowed  to  prevail — if  the  real  end  is  to  differ  from  the 
ostensible  one — and  if  I  am  only  to  remain  here,  in  order 
to  break  off  the  Negotiation  creditably,  and  not  to  ter- 
minate it  successfully,  I  then,   instead  of  resigning  my 
opinion,  must   resign   my  office.      I   should  do  it  most 
reluctantly,  because  I  am  well  aware   it  would  create 
embarrassment,  where  I  truly  wish  to  give  every  proof 


518  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [1797. 

of  regard,  attention,  and  deference  ;  but  I  must  do  it, 
since  it  is  impossible  for  me  to  become  instrumental  to  a 
measure  I  should  condemn  and  reprobate  from  the  bot- 
tom of  my  conscience.  I  hope,  after  all,  I  may  be  wrong 
in  my  misgivings,  and  that  the  war  party  in  the  Cabinet 
have  not  surpr'med  the  religion  of  the  pacific  one  ; — that 
I  may  not  be  called  upon  to  make  a  painful  exertion,  but 
continue  to  proceed  in  this  Negotiation  with  the  same 
comfort  and  confidence  I  have  always  felt  when  I  was 
acting  under  the  directions  of  Mr.  Pitt.  I  should,  how- 
ever, think  I  dealt  unfairly  if  I  did  not  explain  myself, 
and  declare  my  resolution  on  it.  I  leave,  therefore,  to 
your  judgment  to  employ  what  I  now  communicate  to 
you  as  my  private  friend,  according  as  circumstances  may 
require,  and  at  a  time,  and  in  a  way,  to  exempt  me  from 
any  imputation  of  having  acted  hastily,  or  taken  Govern- 
ment by  surprise. 


EXTRACT    OF    A   LETTER    FROM    LORD    MALMESBURY    TO 

MR.    CANNING. 

Lisle,  29th  Aug.,  1797. 

You  will  be  tired  with  my  private  letters  ;  but,  besides 
the  degree  of  importance  we  all  attach  here  to  the  sub- 
ject on  which  they  dwell,  they  are  made  the  longer  from 
the  leisure  I  have  had  for  these  last  three  or  four  days. 

For  Heaven's  sake,  do  not  let  the  only  person*  in  Eng- 
land, perhaps  in  Europe,  who  seeing  right  can  act  with 
effect,  be  seduced  to  wander  from  the  principle  he  laid 
down  two  months  ago  ;  do  not  let  Kim  be  misled  by  false 
reports  of  a  change  in  the  situation  and  sentiments  of 
this  country.  If  any  change  has  taken  place,  it  is  only 
just  such  a  one  as  will  admit  here  the  discussion  of  peace 
on  this  principle  ;  if  the  demands  are  raised  (and  I  fear 
I  must  in  justice  to  truth  add)  if  they  are  not  a  little 
abated  in  the  ultimatum,  a  relapse  will  take  place,  and 
this  country  return  to  the  same  uupacific  disposition  it 

*  Mr.  Pitt. 


1797.]  LISLE.  519 

was  iu  when  we  arrived.  Patience  and  temper  on  our 
part,  and,  above  all,  events,  have  since  operated  a  change  ; 
but  I  repeat  that  this  change,  at  most,  makes  the  princi- 
ple on  which  we  set  out  practicable,  and  by  no  means 
whatever  justifies  our  rising  in  price. 

You  will  understand,  from  every  word  I  write  to-day, 
both  official  and  private,  that  I  am  somewhat  uneasy  :  it 
arises  from  my  feelings  that  peace  is  within  our  reach 
on  most  respectable  terms,  and  from  my  apprehensions 
that  we  shall  lose  it  when  it  is  within  our  grasp.  I  am 
the  more  anxious  for  peace,  because,  in  addition  to  all 
the  commonplace  reasons,  I  am  convinced  that  peace  will 
palsy  this  country  most  completely  ;  that  all  the  violent 
means  they  have  employed  for  war  will  return  upon  them 
like  a  humour  driven  in,  and  overset  entirely  their  weak 
and  baseless  constitution.  This  consequence  of  peace 
is  so  much  more  to  be  prized  than  the  very  best  condition 
we  could  insert  in  the  Treaty,  that  I  had  rather  incur  the 
disgrace  of  signing  one  in  conformity  to  the  strict  status 
ante  helium,  than  let  France  take  the  favourable  chances, 
and  England  run  the  risks  of  another  campaign. 

I  shall  regret  Wesley,  who  gains  upon  my  good  opinion 
and  affection  every  day.  Be  merciful  to  me,  and  send 
me  no  successor  to  him  ;  or  if  you  do,  let  it  be  William 
Eliot  (if  he  will  come).  Let  Leveson  return  imme- 
diately. G.  Ellis  says  he  must  go  in  a  week  or  ten  days  ; 
try  to  dissuade  him  ;  I  shall  do  my  best. 

I  hope  you  understand  that  you  are  to  act  entirely 
according  to  your  own  discretion  with  my  most  private 
letter.  I  never  object  to  anything  being  shewn  to  Pitt, 
because  I  am  vastly  in  his  debt  on  the  score  of  confi- 
dence, and  because  I  am  sure  he  will  not  mistake  my 
meaning ;  and  I  do  not  write  to  him  because  I  could  say 
nothing  I  have  not  said  to  you. 


250  DIARIES   AND    CORRESPONDENCE.  [l797. 

EXTRACTS    OF  A    LETTER    FROM   MR.    CANNING    TO    LORD 

MALMESBURY. 

Spring  Gardens,  29th  Aug.,  1797. 

The  only  point  in  your  last  despatches  to  which  it 
strikes  me  that  you  might  have  expected  and  desired  to 
receive  an  official  answer,  whenever  they  were  acknow- 
ledged, is  that  respecting  the  Note  which  you  properly 
omitted  to  present,  though  instructed  to  do  so."' 

If  I  had  been  quite  sure  myself,  or  if  the  one  person  f 
with  whom  I  consulted  upon  the  subject  could  have 
answered  it  to  me,  that  a  thorough  approbation  of  this 
omission  would  be  given,  I  certainly  should  not  have 
failed  at  the  time  when  I  suggested  the  sending  a  mes- 
senger to  you,  to  suggest  (in  the  draft  which  I  sent  for 
approval)  a  distinct  commendation  of  the  latitude  which 
you  had  given  to  your  instructions  in  this  instance  ;  but 
I  vehemently  feared,  and  so  did  my  opposite  neighbour, 
that  the  warlike  spirit  was  too  strong  in  that  quarter  J 
to  expect  a  perfect  acquiescence,  and  that  the  suggestion 
might  possibly  raise  an  exertion,  of  a  directly  contrary 
sort  to  that  which  it  would  have  been  my  object  to  pro- 
duce. I  hope  you  will  think  this  a  satisfactory  reason 
for  the  compromise  which  we  made  in  asking  nothing, 
where  by  asking  we  might  have  got  what  we  did  not  want. 

I  do  not  know  what  to  make  of  your  Mr.  Melvil. 

I  have  heard  nothing  more  from  Talleyrand  by  the 
former  channel.  Letters  of  his  continually  pass  through 
our  hands,  which  prove  him  to  be  stock-jobbing  here  to 
an  enormous  amount. 


Thursday,  Aug.  31. — Went  to  Hamilton's  house  to 
dinner,  with  Conyngham — pleasant  situation,  and  well 
contrived  house.  Hamilton  very  odd — Lady  Mary,  his 
wife,  equally  so.  Two  daughters  married  to  French  Ge- 
neral officers — one  to  Thiebaud,  the  other  to  Jouy  ;  a 
daugliter  by  him  called  Sophie,  a  great  favourite. 

*  Refuting  the  charge  of  wanton  delays  on  the  part  of  Englaml. 
+  Mr.  Pitt.  +  Lord  Grcnvillc. 


1797.]  LISLE.  621 

Maret  came  up  to  my  box  ;  be  seemed  not  so  confident 
as  to  the  issue  of  the  negotiations  at  Udine — thought  a 
Congress  still  possible — held  for  the  conservation  of  the 
German  Empire — talked  of  animosities  between  Prussians 
and  Austrians.  In  our  negotiation,  he  said,  since  Charles 
Delacroix  had  been  dismissed  their  instructions  had  been 
changed — those  they  received  from  him  were  such  "  qu'ils 
n'auroient  pas  oser  me  les  proposer  ;"  those  from  Talley- 
rand much  more  reasonable.  Charles  Delacroix,  he  said, 
was  more  the  tool  than  a  leading  member  of  a  party  :  he 
was  a  rank  Jacobin — " un  Jacobin  efrene" — the  principle 
of  such  a  one  is  "de  tout  revolutionner  a  coups  de 
canons  sans  examiner  le  pourquoi."  He  said,  that  till 
his  coming  into  office,  all  the  ancient  "  chefs  de  bureaux" 
had  remained  in  their  offices  in  the  foreign  department 
throughout  the  whole  system  of  terror ;  that  Guiraudet 
was  the  only  good  man  left ;  that  for  some  time  before 
Charles  Delacroix  went  out  he  had  also  withdrawn  his 
confidence  from  him  ;  that  Talleyrand  meant  to  replace 
some  of  the  old  "  Commis,^'  Rayneval  and  others ;  to  put 
in  a  person  of  the  name  of  Otto,"'  who  had  been  employed 
in  America  as  Secretary  of  Legation.  Maret  talked  of 
Lafayette  ;  seemed  to  think  we  were  the  cause  of  his 
being  kept  in  prison.  I  assured  him  we  did  not  care 
the  least  about  him.  On  speaking  of  the  interests  of  the 
Prince  of  Orange,  he  said  they  ought  and  would  be  at- 
tended to,  but  he  did  not  see  how  they  could  be  intro- 
duced as  an  article  in  a  public  treaty.  In  regard  to  tlie 
collateral  points  on  which  I  questioned  him,  he  was  not 
disposed  to  speak  ;  he,  however,  said  it  was  their  in- 
tention to  give  in  a  formal  contre-projH,  as  soon  as  they 
had  the  materials. 


Friday,  Sept.  1. — "Walked  with  Ellis ;  dissuaded  him 
from  going.  Conversation  on  Pitt's  weakness  in  regard 
to  Lord  Grenville.     Conference.     Play, — in  the  French 

*  Otto  was  afterwards  a  distingnished  Dipluniati.st.  He  signed  the  ])re- 
liminaries  of  the  Peace  of  Amiens,  and  negotiated  the  marriage  of  Napoleon 
with  Marie  Louise.     He  died  in  1817,  aged  63. 


522  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [l797. 

box  ;  notliing  remarkable  past,  except  that  D^lille,  author 
of  the  words  and  music  of  the  MarseiUoise,  was  there. 


Saturday,  Sept.  2. — Called  on  Le  Tourneur  at  noon  : 
he  very  conversable  ;  talked  of  Buonaparte  and  his  suc- 
cesses ;  he  had  on  going  out  to  his  command  only  30,000 
men,  half  naked.  Berthier  is  to  write  his  campaign. 
Le  Tourneur  was,  or  affected  to  be,  angry  with  the  Dutch  ; 
said,  "  qu'il  fallait  qu'ils  fisseut  des  sacrifices  pour  la  paix 
— nous  le  voulons  absolumeut,"  added  he,  "  car  je  vous 
assure  que  notre  Gouvernement  desire  cette  paix  bien 
sincerement."  Lemoyne's  concert — bad  music — bad  exe- 
cution ;  sat  by  Madame  Ducos  —  nothing  remarkable. 
Larrey  returned  from  Paris  with  the  commissions  he  was 
to  execute.  

Sunday,  Sept.  3. — Walk — Conference.  ]\Iaret  at  the 
play  ;  said  Charles  Delacroix  was  likely  to  be  named  to 
Lisbon,  although  Bourgoin  had  been  in  a  manner  pro- 
mised ;  that  Tallien's  apology  looked  as  if  his  party  was 
not  the  strongest  ;  by  his  apology,  he  meant  a  speech 
he  made  in  answer  to  Thibeaudeau,  who  had  flung  out 
some  strong  accusations  against  him.  He  said  La  R^veil- 
li^re's  speech  had  done  harm  ;  it  had  re-kindled  the  spirit 
of  animosity  between  the  parties ;  Reveilli^re  an  un- 
healthy, peevish  man.  He  hinted  to  Ellis  that  they  had 
a  right  to  break  off  the  Treaty  at  Udine.  A  Count  de 
Salis — a  friend  of  Maret.     Hamilton  drunk  and  absurd. 


[Barras,  Rewbell,  and  La  R^veilliere  L^paux,  the  three 
Directors  who  represented  the  violent  and  war  party,  had 
now  determined  to  try  their  strength  with  the  Councils, 
and  maintain  their  authority  by  force.  Augereau  and 
Hoche  had  ])een  ordered  to  approach  Paris  with  troops 
within  the  distance  marked  by  the  Constitution.  The 
terror  which  pervaded  Paris  at  the  eve  of  the  18th  Fruc- 
tidor  is  described  in  the  following  letters  of  Lord  Malmes- 
bury's  agents,  preparing  him  for  this  Revolution,] 


1797.]  LISLE.  523 


EXTRACT   OF    A    DESPATCH    FROM    LORD    MALMESBURY    TO 

LORD    GRENVILLE. 

Lisle,  5th  Sept.,  1797. 

The  most  recent  and  best  information  I  can  transmit 
to  your  Lordship  on  the  present  very  critical  situation  of 
this  country,  is  to  be  found  in  the  enclosed  papers,  which 
are  copies  of  letters  I  have  received  from  Paris  since  Mr. 
Wesley's  departure  on  the  30th  ultimo. 


ANONYMOUS  LETTER  FROM  PARIS  TO  M.  PEIN,  SENT  TO 

LORD  MALMESBURY. 

Paris,  5  heures  du  Soir,  17  Fructidor, 
Dinianche,  le  3°  Septembre, 

Je  viens  a  I'instant  d'apprendre  de  la  part  sure  et  au- 
thentique  ce  que  portent  les  Reponses  de  la  HoUande. 
Le  Comite  des  Ptelations  Bataves  y  declare  de  la  mani^re 
la  plus  positive,  qu'il  ne  pent  jamais  consentir  a  ceder  a 
TAngieterre  Ceylon  ni  Trinquemale  qu'il  regarde  comme 
la  source  des  richesses  du  pays  et  la  clef  des  autres 
possessions  ;  que  ce  seroit  rendre  I'Angleterre  Maitresse 
de  rinde.  II  fait  entendre,  au  milieu  d'un  langage  tres 
obscure,  qu'il  pourroit  tout  au  plus  consentir  a  la  neu- 
tralite  c'est-a-dire  a  la  Communaute  du  Cap  entre  les 
trois  Nations,  mais  jamais  y'  renoncer  en  entier.  Quant 
a  Cochin  et  a  ses  dependances,  il  declare  qu'il  consent 
volontiers  a  les  livrer.  II  indique  ensuite  quelques  comp- 
toirs  sur  la  Cote  de  Coromandel  qu'il  pourroit  joindre  a 
ces  cessions.  Le  ton  de  la  depeche  est  ferme,  tranchant 
aussi,  et  ils  annoncent  que  jamais  ils  ne  prendront  sur 
eux  de  renoncer  a  autre  chose.  lis  paroissent  croire  que 
la  France  ne  pent  pas,  pour  son  propre  interet,  consentir 
a  les  abandonner  et  a  traitor  sans  eux.  lis  insistent  sur- 
tout  beaucoup  sur  le  voeu  d'etre  admis  par  un  Pleni- 
potentiaire  au  Congres  de  Lille,  pour  y  discuter,  et  y 
soutenir  leurs  pretensions  et  leurs  int^rets.  On  pent 
compter  sur  ces  details  que  je  donne  pour  surs.  Le 
Ministre  n'en  est  pas  satisfait,  parcequ  il  craint  que  le 
Directoire  ne  veuille  pas  prendre  sur  lui  de  ceder  plus 


524  DIARIES  AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [l797. 

que  ne  fait  la  HoUande.  Le  Directoire  n'a  pas  encore  eu 
lecture  publique  de  ces  d^peches  ;  et  ce  n'est  que  demain 
ou  apres  qu'uu  rapport  pourra  lui  etre  fait  a  ce  sujet 
pour  qu'il  prenne  un  parti. 

J'ai  ecrit  pour  vous  donner  ces  details  aujourd'hui,  afin 
de  n'avoir  pas  a  vous  ^crire  de  quelques  jours  a  moins  de 
quelque  chose  d'important,  car  les  craintes  pour  la  nuit 
prochaine  sont  encore  plus  vives  de  la  part  des  Conseils 
qu'elles  ne  Tout  ^t6  pour  la  derniere.  On  dit  que  les 
Rassemblements  commencent  a  devenir  iuquietans  en  ce 
moment  dans  les  Fauxbourgs.  Je  viens  de  rencontrer 
des  Deputes  influens  qui  s'attendent  a  etre  attaques  cette 
nuit.  Si  cela  est,  ils  conviennent  qu'ils  sont  sans  aucun 
mojen  probable  de  defense  et  surtout  de  succes.  S'il  y 
avoit  une  crise,  je  ne  pourrois  plus  vous  6crire  de  quelque 
tems,  a  moins  que  vous  ne  m'envoyassiez  quelqu'  un  ici, 
il  J  auroit  trop  de  danger. 


ANONYMOUS  LETTER  TO  LORD  MALMESBURY. 

Paris,  17  Fmctidor  (3  Sept.,  1797). 

Le  Courier  de  Hollande  vient  d'arriver  aujourd'hui  a 
trois  heures  avec  la  reponse  aux  d^peches  si  importantes 
et  tranchantes  du  Directoire  Elle  est  addressee  aux 
trois  Commissaires  Bataves  qui  remplacent  ici  TAmbassa- 
deur  Meyer  ;  elle  ne  sera  communiquee  que  dans  la  soiree 
au  Ministre  des  relations  exterieures,  et  je  ne  pourrai  par 
consequent,  vous  en  rien  dire  que  demain,  tout  ce  que  je 
sais  aujourd'hui  c'est  que  les  Commissaires  Bataves,  ont 
dit  que  cette  reponse  de  leur  Gouvernement  6toit  decisive ; 
ils  ne  se  sont  pas  expliques  davantage.  Est-ce  decisive 
dans  le  sens  oil  le  voulait  Ic  Directoire,  et  par  consequent 
favorable  aux  Cessions  demand^s  1  Ou  est-ce  decisive 
contre  1  La  premiere  interpretation  est  la  plus  vraisem- 
blable,  cependant  une  personne  qui  a  cause  avec  les  Mi- 
nistres  Bataves  me  dit  a  I'instant  qu'  elle  croit  la  reponse 
des  Ilollandois  negative  sur  les  cessions,  qu'ils  disent 
qu'ils  auroient  mieux  s'exposer  a  tout  ({ue  do  signer  cux- 
memes  leur  ruine.     En  ce  cas  nous  verrons  si  le  Direc- 


1797.]  LTSLE.  525 

toire  tiendroit  la  menace  qu'il  leur  a  faite  de  traiter  sans 
eux.     A  demain  du  certain  la  dessus. 

Talleyrand  est  toujours  persuade  que  le  Directoire  fera 
la  paix  avec  I'Angleterre,  a  peu  pres  aux  conditions  d6ja 
^noncees,  pourvii  que  nons  n'ayons  pas  ici  auparavant 
une  explosion.  Car  s'il  y  en  avoit  une,  comme  vu  le  d6- 
nuement  des  forces  des  deux  Conseils  et  la  nonformation 
de  la  Garde  Rationale,  la  victoire  resteroit  presque  cer- 
tainement  au  Directoire,  qui  a  pour  lui  les  nombreuses 
troupes  de  Paris  et  des  environs,  les  dispositions  actuelles 
du  Directoire  changeroient  presqu'  infailliblement  rela- 
tivement  a  la  paix  avec  L'Angleterre.  Une  fois  les 
maitres  dans  Paris  et  debarrasses  des  entraves  des  Con- 
seils ils  repousseroient  par  des  conditions  exagerees  la 
paix  avec  TAngleterre  dans  I'espoir  d'y  porter  une  Revo- 
lution, de  I'essayer  du  moins,  au  moyen  de  quelque  de- 
scente  confiee  a  Buonaparte.  Quoique  cela  soit  fou  on  y 
reviendroit,  et  on  se  flatteroit  de  reussir  par  quelque 
surprise.  Je  vous  donne  pour  certain  que  Rewbell  et 
Barras  se  sont,  il  y  a  deux  jours  presque  formellement  de- 
clares ^  cet  egard.  Je  tiens  de  part  sure  qu'ils  on  dit 
que,  sans  les  tracasseries  des  Conseils,  ils  ne  se  montre- 
roient  pas  si  faciles  pour  la  paix  avec  I'Angleterre  :  que  si 
les  Patriotes  I'emportoient  a  tems,  il  faudroit  a  tout  prix 
faire  la  paix  avec  I'Autriche,  meme  en  lui  cedant  sans  dif- 
ficulte  la  Baviere  ou  plutot  en  lui  promettant  de  I'aide  a 
I'envaliir ;  mais  qu'alors  ils  romproient  les  N^gociations  de 
Lille,  et  ils  developpoient  ainsi  leur  plan,  mais  seulement 
(observez  le  bien)  dans  le  cas  d'une  defaite  de  la  majorite 
des  Conseils.  La  paix  avec  I'Autriche  derechef  n'importe 
a  quelles  conditions  :  rappeller  Tarmee  d'ltalie  et  Buona- 
parte dans  rinterieur,  et  I'approcher  de  Paris  sous  pr^- 
texte  de  se  rendre  sur  les  Cotes  pour  une  descente  en 
Angleterre  :  destiner  en  eflfet  a  cette  descente,  lorsque  le 
moment  s'en  presenteroit  cent  mille  hommes,  pris  moitie 
dans  I'armee  dltalie,  moitie  dans  celle  de  Hoche  ;  oter  a 
Moreau  (intime  ami  de  Picliegru,  et  par  consequent  tres 
suspect  au  Directoire)  le  commandement  de  I'armee  et 
vaincre  les  resistances  qu'  on  pourroit  recontrer  dans 
rinterieur ;  et  enfin  avec  la  partie  disponible  de  I'armee 


526  DIARIES  AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [l797. 

de  Hoche,  et  quelques  corjDS  des  autres  armees,  se  rendre 
de  nouveau  maitres  de  la  Hollande  enti^re,  et  la  reunir  k 
la  France,  pour  la  punir  de  n'avoir  pas  accepte  la  consti- 
tution. On  pretend  savoir  que  les  Revolutionnaires  Hol- 
landois,  qui  ne  sent  pas  tres  rassures  sur  leurs  destinees, 
consentiroient  volontiers  a  nous  aider  encore  a  convertir 
leur  pays  en  Departement  Fran9ois,  et  a  se  joindre  a  nous 
comme  la  Belgique,  sous  la  condition  d'avoir  des  Deputes 
au  prochain  corps  legislatif  en  France ;  toute  folic  que 
pent  paroitre  cette  conversation,  soyez  certain  qu'elle  a 
eu  lieu.  Barras  et  Rewbell,  ne  crojent  pas  cela  plus  dif- 
ficile a  faire  en  Hollande  que  cela  n'a  ete  en  Italic,  sur- 
tout  lorsqu'ils  en  chargeroient  Buonaparte.  Mais  ne 
perdez  pas  de  vue  que  ce  n'est  qu'une  hjpothese  dans  le 
cas  o\i  il  y  auroit  combat  et  triomphe  pour  eiix,  car  tant 
qu'il  J  aura  lutte,  ils  persistent  a  croire  que  les  deux  paix 
valent  mieux  pour  eux,  afin  de  s'entourer  des  armies  ren- 
tr6es,  et  parceque  le  Corps  Legislatif  ne  leur  donne  pas 
d'argent,  et  ils  continuent  a  vouloir  les  deux  paix,  comme 
il  a  ete  dit.  La  Reveilliere  d'ailleurs  les  j  forceroit, 
comme  il  la  fait  pour  Mantoue  en  se  joignant  a  Carnot  et 
a  Barthelemi  pour  ce  seul  objet — car  lui,  il  croit  la  paix 
necessaire  avec  I'Angleterre  et  I'Autriche.  II  pref^re  des 
cessions  a  la  guerre.  Yous  n'avez  pas  d'idee  a  quel  point  il 
est  jaloux  de  I'honneur  de  niettre  son  nom  comme  Presi- 
dent du  Directoire,  au  bas  de  la  Paix  G^n^rale.  Ces  petits 
calculs  d'amour  propre  influent  souvent  beaucoup  sur  la 
destin^e  des  Etats.  Piewbell  et  Barras  haissent  I'Angle- 
terre comme  un  cnnemi  personnel,  parceque  I'orgeuil 
Anglais  est  le  seul  qui  n'ait  pas  ploy^  devant  le  leur  ; 
les  Jacobins  ont  tous  le  meme  sentiment,  contre  une 
puissance  qui  les  a  toujours  molest^^s  et  tourment^s. 
On  pent  juger  de  ce  qu'ils  exigeroient  du  Directoire, 
s'ils  6toient  devenus  les  maitres  dans  un  choc,  par  les 
cris  de  fureur  qu'ils  poussent  d6ja,  depuis  qu'ils  soup- 
(^onnent  le  projet  de  ceder  Ceylon,  Le  Cap,  et  ]\Ian- 
toue.  En  cela  ils  sont  tres  bien  secondes,  comme  vous 
avez  pu  le  voir  dans  la  Quotidienne  <\\\i  trouve  aussi  hor- 
rible, qu'on  abandonne  Mantoue  et  le  Cap.  Ce  concert 
des  deux  partis  extremes  a  declamer  contre  les  condi- 


1797.]  LISLE.  527 

tions  de  la  Paix  ne  laisse  pas  que  d'inqiii^ter  im  pen 
FEveque  d'Autim,  et  influeroit  bien  plus  sur  le  Directoire, 
s'il  n'^toit  occup^  de  considerations  en  ce  moment  plus 
pressantes  pour  lui.  Quant  a  moi,  je  suis  intimement 
convaincu  que  les  embarras  actuels  du  Directoire  ne  con- 
tribueront  pas  pen  a  faire  obtenir  a  I'Angleterre  les  con- 
ditions qu'elle  desire  :  qu'elle  ne  pent  pas  trmter  et  con- 
clure  dans  un  momeiit  plus  favorable  pour  elle :  qu'elle 
n'a  nulle  espece  d'interet  d'attendre  pour  finir,  le  resultat 
de  la  crise  actuelle  qui,  si  on  en  vient  aux  mains,  ou  si  la 
violence  est  tent^e,  ne  pent  que  fortifier  le  Directoire  et 
le  mettre  a  port^e  de  reprendre  ses  projets  gigantesques ; 
parceque  toutes  les  chances  du  succes  int^rieur,  sont  pour 
lui.  On  suppose  dans  le  Directoire  une  toute  autre  opi- 
nion au  Lord  Malmesburj  et  au  Gouvernement  Anglois. 
On  J  est  persuade  qu'ils  desirent  que  le  combat  s'engage 
dans  I'idee  qu'ils  pourront  avoir  apr^s  de  meilleures  con- 
ditions :  ou  que  du  moins  ils  veulent  attendre  Tissue, 
avant  de  terminer.  Les  Pl^nipotentiaires  Fran^ais  leur 
soup^onnent  aussi  la  meme  intention  et  la  transmettent  a 
Paris  ;  il  seroit  utile  de  les  detromper,  lorsque  I'occasion 
s'en  pr^sente  dans  les  Conferences.  Au  reste  voici  la 
situation  interieure.  Peu  d'union  entre  les  deux  Conseils, 
parceque  les  Cinq  Cents  s'irritent  du  rejet  de  plusieurs 
de  leurs  resolutions,  parcequ'ils  se  voyent  avec  humeur 
plus  accuses  et  menaces,  par  le  Directoire  que  les  Anciens. 
lis  accusent  les  anciens  d'etre  cause  de  leurs  dangers 
actuels,  en  les  ajant  arretes,  lorsqu'ils  crojoient  pouvoir 
frapper  le  Directoire.  lis  les  soup^onnent  aussi  tou- 
jours  un  peu  de  chercher  a  n^gocier  avec  le  Direc- 
toire, quoique  je  sois  certain  qu'il  u'en  est  rien,  et  que 
nul  Depute  n'aille  meme  plus  au  Luxembourg ;  tres 
rarement  meme  cliez  Barthelemi  et  Carnot,  qui  se 
tiennent  toujours  bien,  mais  qui  sont  sans  aucune 
espece  d'influence  sur  toute  la  Direction  interieure,  par- 
ceque les  trois  autres  ont  tout  concerte  d'avance.  La 
peur  ou  la  prudence  a  beaucoup  gagn^  les  Conseils.  lis 
ne  songent  plus  du  tout  a  mettre  le  Directoire  ni  aucun 
Directeur  en  accusation,  parcequ'ils  savent  qu'on  leur  re- 
sisteroit  et  C|u'ils  n'auroient  pas  assez  de  force  pour  faire 


528  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [l797. 

ex^cuter  leur  d^cret ;  quand  on  leur  laisseroit  le  terns  de 
le  rendre,  au  milieu  des  interminables  formalites  que  la 
constitution  exige  pour  cet  acte,  et  si  ces  formalites 
n'etoient  pas  6puis^es,  le  Directoire  s'insurgeroit  en  de- 
clarant la  constitution  violee,  et  le  d^cret  rendu  contre 
lui  nul.     Le  liors  de  la  loi  n'est  pas  dans  la  constitution. 

Les  Deputes  ont  tellement  peur,  depuis  qu'ils  voyent 
les  armies  prononc(^es  contre  eux,  que  la  moitie  d'entre 
eux  ne  couclient  plus  cliez  eux ;  parcequ'on  leur  fait 
croire  toutes  les  nuits  qu'ils  seront  attaqu^s.  Soit  qu'on 
J  souge  r6-ellement,  soit  que  le  Directoire  espere  trouver 
son  compte  k  r^pandre  ces  sortes  d'allarmes  pour  rendre 
les  Conseils  plus  complaisans. 

Pendant  que  les  Conseils  baissent  leur  ton,  le  Direc- 
toire en  prend  un  plus  audacieux  que  jamais.  II  parle 
avec  une  assurance  qui  annonce  qu'il  croit  la  victoire  cer- 
taine,  s'il  est  attaqu6,  ou  s'il  le  decide  a  attaquer.  Et  en 
effet  les  trois  Directeurs  Gouvernans  n'ont  plus  la  moindre 
inquietude  sur  le  moment  actuel.  lis  defient  tout ;  ils 
bravent  et  provoquent  partout ;  ils  ne  placent  que  des 
hommes  devours  ;  ils  destituent,  dans  le  militaire  comme 
dans  les  Administrations,  to  us  ceux  sur  lesquels  ils  ne 
comptent  pas  absolument ;  ils  se  sont  determines  k  ne 
faire  aucun  cas  de  toute  opinion  qui  n'est  pas  celle  de 
leur  parti ;  ils  redouteut  bien  les  journaux  qui  sont  pres- 
que  tons  contre  eux,  et  pour  les  Conseils.  ]\Iais  ils  ne  lais- 
sent  pas  p^netrer  les  journaux  jusqu'aux  armees,  qui 
sont  aujourd'hui  k  leurs  yeux  tout  le  peuple  Franc^ais  ;  et 
pour  tacher  de  contrebalancer  cette  influence  des  jour- 
naux, ils  commencent  k  multiplier  aussi  les  6crits  et  sur- 
tout  les  placards  en  sens  contraire,  et  mis  a  la  portee  du 
vulgaire.  lis  voudroient  bien  r^chaufier  dans  la  multi- 
tude le  fanatisme  r6volutionnaire,  mais  jusqu'ici  dans 
Paris  (car  c'est  de  la  que  tout  depend  et  a  dependu 
depuis  la  Revolution),  la  multitude  sans  appeller  I'ancien 
regime,  comme  on  le  suppose  a  tort,  reste  inerte  et  in- 
diffi^rente  entre  tons  les  partis. 

Nous  sommes  en  un  mot,  dans  une  situation,  sous 
plusieurs  rapports,  pareille  a  celle  qui  prec6da  et  suivit 
le  31°  Mai,  lorsque  le  parti  ({ui  avait  i)our  lui  I'immense 


1797.]  LISLE.  529 

majority  nationale  fut  vaiiicu  par  la  minority  detest^e, 
mais  active,  fanatique,  et  resolue  a  tout.  S'il  j  avoit  un 
combat,  le  resultat  seroit  le  meme,  apr^s  des  resistances 
qui  ne  seroient  pas  plus  efficaces  que  I'insurrection  d6- 
partementale  d'alors  ;  la  diflference  est,  qu'  au  lieu  d'un 
regime  revolutionaire,  nous  aurions  le  regime  militaire, 
qui  seroit  aussi  dur,  mais  moins  sanglant,  jusqu'  a  ce  que  la 
guerre  civile  ne  vint  a  ^clater  entre  les  generaux  divis^s. 


Monday,  Sept.  4. — Called  on  Pein  ;  note  from  him  to 
Ellis.  Called  on  Maret  and  Colclien  ;  not  at  home. 
Writing  private  letters.     Play. 


Tuesday,  Sept.  5. — Walked  with  Ellis.  Conference. 
Maret,  Colchen,  and  Isidore  visited  ;  a  word  on  Portugal. 
Maret  announced  that  Le  Tourneur  intended  to  call  on 
me  on  the  next  day,  and  to  propose  a  dinner  on  Friday. 
Colchen  reasoned  well :  he  said  (and  it  is  worth  remark), 
after  talking  over  the  absurd  conduct  of  the  Dutch,  and 
on  my  mentioning  Spain,  "  Nos  engagements  ne  sont  pas 
si  positifs  a  regard  de  cette  Cour  ;  nous  avons  les  idees 
plus  grandies."  He  conversed  like  one  long  used  to 
business.  Writing ;  Play.  News  arrived  of  a  great 
commotion  at  Paiis  by  the  telegraph  ;  no  particulars. 
Rumour  that  the  Directory  had  attacked  the  Slembers  of 
the  Council  adverse  to  them — great  uneasiness  and  con- 
sternation. Cumberland  told  this  to  George  Ellis.  Sent 
away  Brooks  at  half-past  eleven  ;  doubts  of  his  being 
allowed  to  cross  over. 


Wednesday. — No  papers  from  Paris.  Pein  called  to 
confirm  what  we  suspected.  Twenty-two  members  of  the 
Councils  were  arrested  at  five  on  the  morning  of  Monday 
the  4th,  with  two  Directors,  and  Ramel,  head  of  the 
Legislative  Guards,  who  made  no  resistance.  The  twenty- 
two  members  arrested  were  Camille  Jourdan,  Thibeau- 
deau,  Boisset,  Coudnoir,  Rovere,  Masset,  Vauvilliers,  Henri 

VOL.  III.  2   M 


530  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [l797. 

Lariviere,  et  Alphonse,  Delarue,  Imbert,  Colinges,  Picli^- 
gru,  Bourdon  de  L'Oise,  Dumolard,  Willot,  Dumas,  Perree, 
Rambureaud,  Debonnieres,  Boissey  d'Anglas,  Gilbert  Des 
Moulius,  and  one  more,  whose  name  was  forgotten.'"'" 

The  barriers  at  Paris  all  shut.  In  the  evening  the 
Telegraph  said,  that  "  Paris  6toit  tranquille  et  que  le 
Directoire  et  les  deux  Conseils  reunissoient  leur  efforts 
pour  d^couvrir  la  conspiration  des  Rojalistes."  Great 
marks  of  consternation  in  the  opposite  box.  Michen 
acted  in  Felix,  and  Madame  Chevalier  acted  incom- 
parably. I  sate  by  Madame  Ducos  ;  her  behaviour 
gentle  and  charming,  just  as  it  ought  to  be  ;  no  affec- 
tation or  any  assumed  indifference.  Deep,  but  calm 
anxiety.  Maret  less  master  of  himself;  he  looked  ab- 
sent and  C07iste7iie  ;  so  did  the  others. 


Sept.  7. — No  post  or  letters  from  Paris.  Ellis  with 
Pein.  At  the  Play  ;  Maret  with  me  ;  he  said  they  knew 
no  more  than  would  appear  in  a  newspaper  Venacken  was 
going  to  reprint  from  07ie  he  had  received  from  Paris  ; 
that  sixty-three  or  sixty-four,  chiefly  Deputies,  were  con- 
demned to  banishment  ;  about  one  half  to  Cayenne,  tlie 
other  hors  de  la  Republique  ;  that  he  heard  Pichegru 
and  Barthelemi  were  among  the  first  ;  that  the  word  of 
alarm  was  "  Conspiration  Royale ;"  and  that  papers  had 
been  taken,  from  which  that  was  to  be  proved.  Pichegru 
was  said  to  have  been  in  correspondence  with  the  Prince 
de  Cond^,  and  the  commander  of  the  Austrian  army  in 
1794,  to  deliver  up  some  of  the  French  fortresses. 
D'Entraigue's  papers,  he  supposed,  would  be  produced  in 
evidence,  and  the  declaration  of  Duverne.f     All  Wick- 

*  This  list  was  very  short  of  the  numher.  Sixty-two  were  banished  ; 
among  whom  were  the  two  Directors  Carnot  and  Barthelemi  ;  they  were 
judged  by  the  Councils,  and  sentenced  to  deportation. 

t  Duverne  denounced  a  royalist  conspiracy  in  wliieli  he  said  he  had  him- 
self been  two  years  engaged. 

D'Entraigue's  papers  were  seized  at  Venice,  and  sent  by  Buonaparte  to 
the  Directory.  They  professed  to  implicate  Piche'gru  as  the  chief  of  the 
royalist  conspiracy,  who  was  to  receive  as  the  price  of  a  restoration,  the 
Baton  of  Marshal,  the  governorshi])  of  Alsace,  the  Chateau  de  Chambord, 
40,000/.  m  money,  and  bOOOl.  a-year. 


1797.]  LISLE.  531 

ham's""  attempts  to  produce  a  counter  revolution  would 
come  out  in  the  latter.  He  thought  Garat  and  Francois 
Neufchateau  likelj  to  be  the  new  Directors  ;  that  the 
first  had  been  in  England  with  Chauvelin  ;  was  rather  a 
weak  than  dangerous  man.  He  did  not  know  much  of 
the  other ;  both  of  them  were  Conventionalists,  and  it 
was  on  these  principles  that  the  present  Government  Avas 
formed.  The  liberty  of  the  press  was  taken  away,  by  all 
journalists  being  obliged  to  submit  their  journals  to  the 
censure  of  the  police  (or  Minister  for  the  Home  Depart- 
ment) before  they  were  printed.  The  emigrants  were  to  be 
sent  out  of  the  country  in  fifteen  days  ;  the  law  relative 
to  them  commuted  from  death  to  deportation.  The 
law  of  the  3d  Brumairef  re-established,  till  four  years 
after  peace.  The  line  of  constitutional  demarcation  for 
the  troops  abolished  ;  the  place  where  the  Councils  met, 
removed.  In  short,  it  appears  that,,  under  pretence  of 
preserving  the  Constitution,  they  have  violated  it  in 
various  very  essential  points,  and  established  the  most 
complete  despotism  that  ever  belonged  to  an  executive 
power.  Ts^o  change  yet  amongst  the  IVIinisters ;  fifty- 
three  departments  to  have  new  elections — amongst  them, 
that  of  the  north  ;  the  primary  assembly  to  be  held  at 
Douay.  Moreau  supposed  to  be  arrested-  In  regard  to 
our  immediate  object,  he  was  apprehensive  it  might  be 
much  aifected  by  this  revolution,  unless  the  new  go- 
vernors thought  they  could  popularise  themselves  by 
making  peace ;  that  as  to  himself,  he  expected  to  be 
recalled  ;  that  he  would  not  remain  if  his  instructions 
were  altered,  but  at  least  derive  the  only  possible  good 
which  could  spring  from  this  event,  and,  by  remain- 
ing steady  to  his  principles,  establish  his  character 
for  firmness  ;  from  this  he  declared  no  threats  or  fears 
should  drive  him.  He  said  Le  Tourneur  was  affected  on 
account  of  Carnot  ;  but  as  he  was  very  sensible  a  la 

*  English  Minister  in  Switzerland,  who  corresponded  with  Pich^gru  and 
Conde.  Moreau  intercepted  the  correspondence,  hut  did  not  betray  them, 
and  consequently  incurred  very  reasonahle  suspicions. 

t  By  which  the  relations  and  connexions  of  emigrants  were  incapacitated 
from  holding  office. 

2  M  2 


632  DIARIES  AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [l797- 

liberie,  he  thought  he  was  saved  by  what  had  passed. 
He  said  Colchen  was  deeply  alFected,  but,  with  great 
calmness  and  good  sense.  He  was  certain  a  third  Pleni- 
potentiary would  be  sent  here,  and  he  believed  it  would 
be  Gourlade,  who  had  been  talked  of  to  succeed  Pl^ville 
in  the  Marine  Department.  He  did  not  doubt  peace 
would  be  made  with  Austria  on  any  terms  ;  but  that 
they  would  remain  at  war  with  us,  in  order  to  have  a  pre- 
tence to  keep  up  their  armies,  and  also  existing  means  of 
forging  compensations.  Lamarque,  the  new  President,  an 
able  and  bold  man  ;  he  was  delivered  up  to  the  Austrians 
at  the  same  time  with  Bournonville.  He  ended  by  saying 
the  principle  now  was  the  same  as  on  the  13th  Vendme- 
miaire  (4th  Oct.)  1795,  when  the  Sections  of  Paris  rose. 
They  were  suppressed  exactly  on  the  same  grounds,  and 
by  the  same  means,  as  the  Directory  had  now  employed 
to  produce  this  very  extraordinary  event.  Barras  then 
at  the  head  of  the  Force  A  rmee. 


Friday,  Sept.  8. — No  letters  or  papers  from  Paris. 
Great  consternation  in  the  appearance  of  the  people  in 
the  streets  ;  groups  assemble  to  talk  politics  and  collect 
information.  Several  of  the  militar}^,  who  never  came 
there  before,  visited  my  box  at  the  play,  and  expressed 
their  sentiments  very  strongly.  Walked  between  the 
acts  with  Le  Tourneur  ;  he  persevered  in  the  idea  that 
this  change  would  not  affect  our  Negotiation,  but  rather 
hasten  its  successful  conclusion.  He  was  of  the  side  of 
the  Directory,  and  pleased  with  what  had  passed.  He 
talked  of  Duverne's  declaration  —  of  AVickham  being 
quoted  in  it.  This  he  said  he  knew  when  he  was  Di- 
rector, but  it  could  not  have  any  eff"ect  on  what  we  were 
doing ;  it  was  a  long  time  ago,  and  a  thing  over.  He 
was  very  civil,  and  more  courteous  than  usual.  I  spoke 
to  Maret  and  Madame  Ducos  on  coming  out  of  my  box  at 
the  play  ;  Madame  Torcy  in  my  box. 


1797.]  LISLE.  533 

Saturday,  Sept.  9. — George  Ellis  with  Pein.  Charles 
Delacroix  coming  here.  Merlin  de  Douay  one  of  the  new 
Directors  ;  he  reasons  as  if  peace  would  still  be  made  ; 
these  reasons  all  appear  in  mj  despatch  of  this  date. 
I  only  omitted  by  forgetfulness  that  L'Abbe  Sieyes* 
is  again  come  forward,  and  that  it  is  probable  that  the 
forty  resolutions  voted  by  the  Councils  are  drawn  up  by 
him.  Conference.  Writing.  Le  Tourneur  called  on  me 
in  the  evening ;  unusually  civil  ;  made  his  excuses  for 
not  bringing  me  a  paper  he  had  promised  (Duverne's 
declaration) ;  still  assured  that  we  should  conclude  peace  ; 
called  Yandamme  par  fois  trop  rtpuhlicain ;  said 
Francois  Neufchateau  (Ministre  de  I'lnterieur)  was  the 
second  new  Director  ;  he  was  quite  silent  as  to  Charles 
Delacroix.  Colchen  was  with  him,  and  apparently  in 
better  spirits.  I  consider  Colchen  as  an  honest  and 
worthy  man. 


EXTRACT    OF    A    LETTER    FROM    LORD    MALMESBURY    TO 
LORD    GRENVILLE. 

Lisle,  9th  Sept.  1797. 

Some  papers,  (which  I  enclose,)  published  under  the 
immediate  eye  of  the  Directory,  have  arrived  to-day, 
and  a  few  imperfect  accounts  have  been  received  by  in- 
direct means  ;  and  it  is  from  these  very  barren  sources, 
with  a  little  help  from  the  conversation  of  the  French 
Plenipotentiaries,  who  are,  however,  without  any  offi- 
cial accounts,  that  I  principally  derive  my  information. 
It  will,  therefore,  be  far  from  being  such  as  I  could  wish, 
at  this  very  interesting  moment,  to  be  able  to  transmit. 

The  enclosure  in  my  last  separate  despatch  has,  by  the 
events  which  have  since  taken  place,  been  rendered  much 
more  important  and  interesting  than  I  could  venture  to 

*  Sieyes  at  this  time  had  a  great  reputation  as  a  statesman,  hut  he  was 
only  a  theoretical  politician.  Napoleon  saw  througli  him,  used  him,  and 
laid  hira  by.  It  being  remarked  to  Talleyrand,  "  L'Abbe  Sieyes  est  un 
homme  profond,  tres  profoiid" — "  C'est  creux  tres  creux  (jue  vous  voulcz 
dire,"  replied  Talleyrand. 


534  DIARIES   AND    CORRESPONDENCE.  [l797. 

think  it  at  the  time  I  had  the  honour  of  transmitting  it 
to  your  Lordship,  since  it  describes  very  minutely,  and, 
as  it  now  appears,  very  correctly,  the  hopes,  and  fears, 
and  views,  of  the  different  parties,  and  the  general  state 
of  the  public  mind,  a  few  hours  preceding  the  great  ex- 
plosion on  the  4th.  It  shews  that  the  secret  of  the 
Directory  had  transpired  ;  that  the  public  were  in  hourly 
expectation  of  some  terrible  event,  and  that  the  Councils 
were  aware  of  their  danger ;  but  that,  acting  with  little 
concert,  feeling  the  impossibility  of  resisting  the  armed 
force,  (which,  as  it  now  appears,  amounted  to  between 
twenty  and  thirty  thousand  men,)  and,  perhaps,  trusting 
that  the  Directory  would  not  choose  openly  to  violate  a 
Constitution  from  which  they  derived  their  only  right  to 
power,  they  confided  their  safety  to  the  forms  of  that  Con- 
stitution, and  neglected  every  other  precaution.  Still, 
however,  it  must  appear  rather  extraordinary,  that  the 
whole  transaction  passed  over  as  if  they  had  been  taken 
by  surprise,  and  totally  unprepared  to  meet  it ;  for,  be- 
tween the  hours  of  5  and  7,  a.m.,  on  Monday  morning, 
the  greatest  number  of  them  were  taken  into  custody 
without  the  smallest  resistance,  and,  in  the  course  of  that 
day,  sentence  of  banishment  pronounced  upon  them. 
The  people  of  Paris,  (by  whom  many  of  them  were  be- 
loved,) either  from  apathy  or  astonishment,  did  not  shew 
the  least  disposition  to  move  in  their  favour  ;  and  the 
Guards  of  the  Legislative  Councils  appear  to  have  sided 
with  those  of  the  Directory,  without  shewing  the  least 
disposition  to  take  up  arms  in  defence  of  their  arrested 
members. 

The  whole  proceeding  rested  on  a  vague  and  general 
accusation  of  a  conspiracy  in  favour  of  Royalisra  ;  and 
under  this  specious  pretext,  and  as  if  the  charge  was  sub- 
stantiated by  the  most  incontestible  evidence,  the  Direc- 
tory Lave  accomplished  their  ends  with  a  degree  of 
effrontei-y,  and,  I  must  add,  intrepidity,  almost  unpa- 
ralleled in  the  annals  of  history. 

The  documents  tending  to  prove  this  conspiracy  are 
deduced  from  papers  said  to  be  found  on  M.  d'Entraigues 
when  he  was  taken  by  General  Buonaparte  at  Venice,  and 


1797.]  LISLE.  635 

from  the  declaration  made  iu  the  end  of  February  last  by 
the  Chevalier  Duverne,  who  evidently  put  into  it  every- 
thing he  thought  likely  to  save  his  life.  Both  of  these 
papers  are  amongst  the  enclosures,  and  I  need  not  remark 
how  liable  everything  they  contain  is  to  suspicion,  and, 
even  if  true,  how  little  they  justify  so  violent  a  measure 
as  that  of  passing  sentence  on  the  persons  accused  without 
allowing  them  to  make  any  defence. 

While  the  Directory  are  loud  in  their  cry  of  having 
acted  solely  to  preserve  the  present  form  of  Government, 
they  have  violated  the  Constitution  in  all  its  branches, 
not  only  by  the  most  hasty  repeal  of  some  of  the  most 
salutary  laws,  but  in  defiance  of  many  of  the  original  and 
fundamental  principles  on  which  it  was  formed. 

The  accused  Deputies  have  been  condemned  without 
any  trial,  without  being  heard,  and  in  express  contradic- 
tion to  the  forms  prescribed  by  law.  The  deposing  and 
punishing  abruptly  two  Directors,  is,  from  the  nature  of 
their  high  situation,  a  still  more  manifest  breach  of  the 
Constitution  ;  and  it  is  difficult  to  suppose  a  case  in 
which  the  means  employed  operate  so  directly  against 
the  intention  professed.  The  real  intention,  however,  is 
very  diiferent :  it  is  not  to  maintain  the  present  Constitu- 
tion ;  but,  by  altering  some  of  its  laws,  and  abrogating 
others,  to  reduce  it  to  the  principles  and  system  of  the 
Conventionalists,  to  make  the  Executive  power  as  strong 
and  as  unlimited  as  that  of  any  of  their  most  despotic 
Monarchs,  or  their  most  despotic  Committees  of  Public 
Safety,  and  leave  the  Councils  with  as  little  or  less 
authority  than,  during  the  Monarchy,  the  Parliaments 
were  allowed  to  assume. 

It  may  not  be  improper  to  remark,  that  the  vengeance 
of  the  Directory  has,  in  this  instance,  been  principally,  if 
not  solely,  directed  against  that  class  of  the  moderate 
party  who  were  known  to  be  true  Republicans.  The 
Royalists  have  almost  universally  escaped,  and  continue 
to  form  a  considerable,  though  an  inert  and  passive  body 
in  the  Councils.  The  more  active  part  is  composed  of 
those  who  distinguish  themselves  in  maintaining  the 
power  of  the  Convention  against  the  Sections  of  Paris 


536  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [l797. 

during  the  insurrection  of  the  13th  Vendemiaire  (4th 
October,  1795),  and  who,  in  that  instance  as  well  as  in 
the  present,  obtained  a  victory  over  the  country  by  the 
assistance  of  the  army.  They  are  attached  to  the  Direc- 
tory, because  they  share  its  power,  and  act  the  same  part 
in  the  Councils  as  the  Commissaries  of  the  Executive 
Power  perform  in  the  Provisional  and  Municipal  Admi- 
nistrations. 

They  profess  a  hatred  to  the  Jacobins  and  Anarchists, 
from  whom  they  differ  in  wishing  to  establish  a  tyrannical 
government  by  means  of  an  army  instead  of  a  mob.  They 
are,  like  the  Jacobins,  partisans  of  requisitions  and  forced 
loans ;  and  like  them,  too,  they  have  a  system  of  terror, 
which  they  call  La  "  demi-terreurr  Their  vengeance  is 
gratified  by  perpetual  banishment,  not  by  death  ;  and 
they  have  extended  this  clemency  to  the  emigrants,  who, 
if  they  attempt  a  return  to  France,  are  no  longer  sub- 
ject to  a  capital  punishment,  but  are  to  be  immediately 
driven  out  of  the  country. 

The  army,  as  I  have  already  observed,  is  the  great  in- 
strument with  which  they  hope  to  acquire  and  secure 
their  power.  Your  Lordship  will  observe  the  court  that 
is  paid  to  it,  and  that  the  milliard  to  be  given  to  the  sol- 
diery at  the  peace  is  now  actually  voted,  though  the 
means  of  raising  any  considerable  part  of  it  are  known  to 
be  perfectly  impracticable.  Conscious  that  inability  to 
perfonn  this  engagement,  or  even  to  make  good  the  de- 
ficit of  the  present  expenses,  must  soon  appear,  and 
dreading  that  the  nation  should  rouse  from  the  state  of 
stupor  into  which  this  violent  convulsion  has  thrown 
them,  the  language  of  the  Directory  recommends  the 
greatest  rapidity  :  "  Frappez  sur  le  champ ;  si  vous  hhi- 
tez,  e'en  est  fait,  demaiu  il  ne  sera,  plus  terns."  Such  are 
the  expressions  employed  in  their  message  of  the  5th  of 
Sept.  (19  Fructidor),  and  the  whole  of  it  betrays  the 
greatest  a])prehension  from  delay,  and  the  dread  of  a  re- 
action. 

Paris  is  represented  as  in  a  state  of  silent  consterna- 
tion, and  wears  the  appearance  as  if  a  return  of  the  reign 
of  terror  and  all  its  miseries  was  expected.     Tliis  town. 


1797.]  LISLE.  537 

not  excepting  even  tlie  military,  evidently  betrays  the 
same  feelings,  and  I  should  conceive  they  were  universal ; 
but  I  much  doubt  whether,  strong  and  just  as  they  are, 
they  will  be  such  as  to  call  forth  resistance,  and  whether 
the  spirit  of  the  whole  country  is  not  so  exhausted  and 
depressed  by  repeated  acts  of  persecution  and  tyranny, 
and  by  the  failure  of  every  exertion  which  has  been  made 
to  oppose  them,  that  it  will  submit  quietly  to  this  new 
act  of  oppression,  and  patiently  bend  under  the  yoke  of 
the  Directory. 

P.S. — Saturday,  2  p.m. — I  have  this  moment  learnt 
two  very  important  circumstances — that  Merlin  de  Douay 
(Minister  of  Justice)  was  elected  yesterday  to  the  office  of 
Director,  and  that  M.  Chas.  Delacroix  is  named  the  third 
Plenipotentiary  here,"^^"  in  the  room  of  M.  Pleville,  and  is 
expected  to  arrive  to-day  or  to-morrow.  The  other  new 
Director,  it  is  thought,  will  be  Garat. 

It  appears,  by  further  information  I  have  obtained, 
that  the  Directory  have  on  this  occasion  conducted  them- 
selves with  more  art,  forethought,  and  circumspection, 
than  they  have  usually  employed.  It  conies  out,  beyond 
a  doubt,  that  the  bold  measure  they  have  now  carried 
into  execution  has  been  preparing  for  some  time  ;  that 
they  and  General  Buonaparte  have  understood  each  other 
from  the  beginning ;  that  he  has  not  only  remitted  sums 
of  money  to  them,  for  the  purpose  of  carrying  this  plan 
into  effect,  but  consented  that  a  considerable  part  of  his 
army  should  march  into  the  south  of  France,  to  direct  the 
new  elections  ;  that  30,000  men  are  near  Lyons,  under 
General  Massena,  and  20,000  men  under  another  officer 
devoted  to  his  interest,  but  whose  name  I  cannot  learn,f 
near  Marseilles,  besides  which  the  Directory  have  in  and 
near  Bourdeaux  a  corps  of  about  equal  force  ;  and  that 
every  precaution  is  taken  in  the  fifty-three  departments, 
where  the  primary  assemblies  are  to  be  convened,  in  order 
that  the  elections  may  proceed  in  perfect  conformity  to 
their  wishes. 

This  department  is  one  of  the  number.     The  primary 

*  This  report  proved  incorrect.  f  Joubert.— Orig.  note. 


538  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [l797. 

assemblies  are  to  be  held  at  Douay,  and  3,000  men  are 
soon  to  march  into  Cambray.  General  Joubert,  who 
commands  this  division,  and  who  is  a  very  respectable 
man,  and  much  attached  to  General  Pichegru,  will  proba- 
bly be  dismissed  from  his  command,  which  will  be  given 
to  General  Vandamme.  All  the  municipality  of  this 
town  are  in  daily  expectation  of  being  removed,  and 
I  shall  severely  feel  their  loss,  as  they  are  attentive  and 
civil  to  a  degree.  The  only  public  functionary  who  is 
likely  to  remain  in  office  here,  is  the  Commissary  of  the 
Executive  Power,  whose  principles  are  in  perfect  con- 
formity to  those  of  the  persons  by  whom  he  is  imme- 
diately employed, 

M.  Barthelemi  is  still  at  Paris — not  in  prison,  but  under 
arrest  in  his  own  apartment.  He  is  said  to  behave  with 
great  coolness,  and  to  observe  a  strict  silence  on  every- 
thing that  has  passed. 

M.  Carnot  has  certainly  escaped,  and  it  is  supposed  he 
will  attempt  to  join  the  Army  of  the  Rhine  and  Moselle, 
where  he  is  very  popular  ;  and  if  General  ]\Ioreau  (who  is 
not  yet  taken  up)  should  be  able  to  do  the  same,  it  is 
possible  that  that  corps  may  be  disposed  to  oppose  the 
despotic  authority  usurped  by  the  Directory  ;  but  as 
they  are  well  aware  of  this,  great  precautions  have  been 
taken  to  keep  all  the  avenues  on  that  side  France  strictly 
guarded. 

I  understand  that,  in  return  for  this  assistance  from 
General  Buonaparte,  the  Directory,  besides  pledging 
themselves  to  return  the  money  he  has  lent  them,  engage 
to  give  him  their  full  support  and  concurrence  in  prose- 
cution of  all  his  plans,  whatever  they  may  be. 

Half-past  Seven  t.m. — M.  Le  Tourneur  has  this  mo- 
ment called  upon  me,  to  say,  that  the  telegraph  has 
brought  information  that  Francois  Neufchateau  (late  Mi- 
nister of  the  Home  Department)  Avas  elected  this  morning 
the  second  new  Director,  and  that  Paris,  at  five  o'clock 
this  afternoon,  was  perfectly  quiet. 


1797.]  LISLE.  539 


EXTRACT    OF    A   DESPATCH    FROM    LORD    MALMESBURY    TO 
LORD    GRENVILLE. 

Lisle,  9th  Sept.,  1797. 

As  it  may  possibly  be  expected  that  I  should  give 
some  opinion  as  to  the  manner  in  which  the  negotiation 
I  am  carrying  on  here  is  likely  to  be  affected  by  this 
violent  convulsion  in  the  French  Government,  I  shall  put 
in  this  separate  despatch  whatever  relates  more  directly 
to  this  particular  point,  entreating  your  Lordship  to  read 
it  with  that  indulgence  a  letter  of  this  nature  necessarily 
requires. 

I  confess,  before  this  extraordinary  event  had  taken 
place,  I  was  very  sanguine  in  my  hopes  of  success  ;  and 
from  what  I  have  observed  since  it  has  happened,  from 
the  behaviour  and  language  of  MM.  Maret  and  Colchen,  I 
am  confident  they  were  equally  so  ;  and  it  now  comes 
out,  beyond  a  doubt,  that  they  were  perfectly  true  and 
sincere  in  everything  they  said  on  this  subject.  I  collect, 
from  a  person  who  enjoys  their  most  intimate  confidence, 
that  they  still  entertain  hopes,  and  that  even  the  ap- 
pointment of  M.  Delacroix  does  not  discourage  in  them 
the  idea  that  .our  Treaty  may  still  be  signed.  They 
contend  that  the  Directory  must  make  peace,  to  ensure 
by  popularity  the  power  they  have  acquired  by  force ; 
that  one  of  the  heaviest  charges  which  they  brought 
against  the  Councils  was,  that  they  prevented,  by  their 
factious  opposition,  the  possibility  of  peace  being  made  ; 
and  this  charge  may,  without  the  power  of  reply,  be 
retorted  on  the  Directory,  if  they,  in  their  present  situa- 
tion of  unmolested  authority,  refuse  to  consent  to  such 
conditions  as  it  is  understood  we  are  ready  to  grant. 

But,  notwithstanding  the  deference  I  have  for  their 
judgment,  and  that  their  opinion  is  so  very  analagous  to 
my  wishes,  I  am  free  to  confess  that  I  cannot  subscribe 
to  it.  For,  although  I  admit  the  truth  of  their  facts, 
and  great  plausibility  of  their  arguments,  yet  their  being 
true  and  plausible  does  not  appear  to  me  sufficient 
grounds  for  the  inference  they  draw,  when  we  consider 


540  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [l797. 

tlie  cliaracter  and  disposition  of  the  Directory.  It  is 
to  this  we  must  look  as  the  only  test  by  which  we  can 
determine  their  probable  conduct  ;  and,  if  we  are  to  be 
directed  by  it,  I  much  fear  we  either  must  not  expect 
peace  at  all,  or  expect  it  on  conditions  the  most  in- 
tolerable. 

It  is,  I  think,  proved  to  demonstration,  that  the  Nego- 
tiation was  begun  on  the  part  of  the  French  Government 
with  an  intention  of  breaking  it  oiF,  on  the  first  favoura- 
ble opportunity,  and  that  it  has  been  protracted  to  the 
present  day,  because  the  majority  in  the  Councils  would 
have  reprobated  such  a  step,  in  a  way  which  might  have 
very  materially  aifected,  if  not  entirely  prevented,  the 
execution  of  the  vast  design  the  Directory  have  since 
accomplished.  It  is  known  that  the  original  instructions 
given  to  the  French  Plenipotentiaries  were  drawn  up  by 
Si.  Chas.  Delacroix,  under  the  advice  of  MM.  Barras  and 
Rewbell  ;  that  they  appeared  extravagant  even  to  M.  Le 
Tourneur  ;  and  it  is  scarce  to  be  credited  that  M.  Dela- 
croix himself  would  now  come  to  act  under  the  more  rea- 
sonable and  moderate  Instructions  sent  to  the  French 
Plenipotentiaries  by  his  successor,  M.  Talleyrand,  and  on 
which  all  hopes  of  peace  were  grounded. 

Besides,  whatever  may  be  the  language  of  placards  and 
journals,  there  are  some  expressions  in  the  Directorial 
Messages  which  by  no  means  look  pacific.  "  Dieter  la 
paix"  is  used  in  one  of  them  ;  and,  in  another,  "  une  paix 
digne  du  triomphe  du  Teupde  Franc-ais  et  de  sa  gcne- 
rosite ;"  which  last  phrase,  I  presume,  applies  to  their 
allies,  rather  than  to  their  enemies,  although  in  either 
case  it  is  the  language  of  haughty  and  imperious  de- 
magogues. 

In  short,  my  Lord,  unless  tliey  depart  entirely  from 
their  character  and  system,  I  scarcely  can  be  brought  to 
hope  for  a  favourable  termination  to  our  Mission  ;  and 
they  hitherto  ap])ear  to  have  acted  but  too  systematically ; 
for,  to  what  we  have  now  seen  happen,  I  impute  the  dila- 
tory answer  repeatedly  sent  from  Holland,  and  the  sudden 
cessation  of  correspondence  between  Count  Cabarras  and 
M.  Maret,  (a  circumstance  I  omitted  to  mention  at  the 


1797.]  LISLE.  541 

proper  time,)  and  all  the  delays,  real  or  imaginary,  which 
have  succeeded  each  other,  and  stopped  the  progress  of 
the  Negotiation  since  the  middle  of  July  ;  and  if  we  want 
a  more  recent  instance  of  the  views  and  intentions  of  the 
Directory,  it  is  to  be  found  in  M.  La  R6veilliere  Lepaux 
superseding  M,  Barthelemi  in  the  presidence  of  the  Direc- 
tory, and  in  beginning  his  office  by  a  speech  which,  though 
not  in  opposition,  perhaps,  to  his  general  political  senti- 
ments, was  certainly  very  unlike  the  natural  phlegm  and 
tranquillity  of  his  character. 

The  arrival  of  M.  Delacroix  will,  however,  very  shortly 
determine  the  question  ;  and  although  it  will  be  impos- 
sible for  me  not  to  carry  to  the  first  conference  I  shall 
have  with  him  the  opinion  I  have  just  expressed,  yet  I 
shall  be  most  happy  to  acknowledge  my  mistake,  and  to 
find  there  is  a  probability  of  my  going  on  as  smoothly 
with  him,  as  I  am  confident  I  should  have  done  with  the 
others,  had  not  this  extraordinary  revolution  taken  place 
at  Paris. 


EXTRACTS    OF    A    LETTER    FROM    LORD    MALMESBURY    TO 

MR.    PITT. 

Lisle,  9th  Sept.,  1797. 

If  I  do  not  write  to  you  by  every  messenger,  it  is 
because  my  letters  could  be  only  a  repetition  of  what  I 
say  to  Canning,  or  of  my  official  Correspondence,  and  the 
reading  of  them  would  be  giving  you  useless  trouble. 

The  violent  revolution  which  has  taken  place  at  Paris 
has  overset  all  our  hopes,  and  defeated  all  our  reasonings, 
I  consider  it  as  the  most  unlucky  event  that  could  have 
happened.  We  were  certainly  very  near  attaining  the 
great  object  of  our  wishes,  and  I  fear  we  are  now  more 
driven  out  to  sea  again  than  ever,  I  have  given  my  sen- 
timents so  freely  and  so  fully  (as  I  considered  it  my  duty 
to  do)  in  my  despatches  by  this  messenger,  that  there  is 
nothing  left  for  me  to  say  in  a  private  letter.  My  ap- 
prehensions that  the  Negotiation  may  now  fail,  shall  not 
afiect  my  conduct :  I  will  strain  every  nerve  to  weather 


542  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [l797. 

the  storm,  and  the  arrival  of  Ch.  Delacroix  will  operate 
upon  me  like  a  stimulant.  I  am  not  sorry  that,  this 
time,  we  shall  converse  before  witnesses. 

There  can  be  no  doubt  whatever  that  we  shall  begin 
business  in  earnest  on  Monday  next ;  and  I  think  I  may 
safely  take  upon  me  to  say,  that  before  the  end  of  the 
week  I  shall  send  over  George  Ellis,  if  what  I  have  to 
transmit  is  worthy  of  such  a  messenger.  In  the  mean 
time,  I  wish  Lord  G.  Leveson  would  return,  as  I  shall, 
when  Ellis  goes,  be  in  want  of  his  society  and  his  assist- 
ance, although  Morpeth  is  of  great  comfort  to  me  in  both 
these  respects. 

I  am,  &c. 


Sunday,  Sept.  10. — Le  Tourneur  at  home;  nothing 
ncAv  ;  walk  by  the  side  of  the  river  to  Marquette  ;  Maret 
and  Ducos  came  at  half-past  three ;  Delacroix's  coming 
very  doubtful  ;  the  letters  directed  to  him  here  were 
probably  sent  by  mistake.  Maret  reasons  still  in  favour 
of  peace,  and  that  if  Charles  Delacroix  had  come,  it  cer- 
tainly would  have  been  with  pacific  instructions.  He 
woLdd  have  asked  for  this  nomination,  in  order  to  be  ap- 
pointed afterwards  to  England.  He  was  more  attached 
to  his  interest  than  his  political  principles;  and  although, 
if  he  had  remained  in  office,  he  might  have  gratified  his 
hatred  to  England  and  spleen  against  us,  yet  he  would 
scarcely  take  a  journey  of  one  hundred  and  fifty  miles, 
with  his  infirmities,  merely  for  that  purpose.  JVIaret  again 
here  ;  mentioned  their  original  instructions  drawn  up  by 
Am,  and  which  he  said  were  such  as  could  not  be  produced, 
so  very  intoleral3le  were  the  conditions  stated  in  them. 
Le  Tourneur  certainly  wishes  peace,  and  hopes  for  no 
alteration,  either  in  the  Legation  or  the  instructions.  On 
my  asking  ]\Iaret  about  Holland,  he  said  Noel  had  Avritten 
him  word  that  the  Dutch  began  to  be  more  tractable,  but 

it  was  not  to  a  very  great  degree.    General ,  Inspector 

of  this  Division,  who  came  here  a  day  or  two  ago,  said 
Colonel  Cabarras  had  left  Brussels  on  the  5th  inst ,  and 
he  understood  that  he  was  coming  here.     He  probably 


1797.]  LISLE.  543 

had  some  advice  of  what  was  likely  to  happen  from  his 
daughter,  Madame  Tallien,'""  and  is  gone  to  Paris,  or  keeps 
aloof. — At  the  play  ;  Isidore  and  Diicos  came  into  my 
box  ;  then  Colchen,  and  also  Alaret.  Isidore  said  he  be- 
lieved Delacroix  would  not  come  :  it  would  be  singular  if 
be  were  appointed  :  he  had  dismissed  him,  Ducos,  and 
Colchen  from  his  office,  on  being  appointed  to  the  Rela- 
tions Exterieures,  and  it  would  be  hard  if  he  was  to  follow 
them  here  for  the  same  purpose.  After  all,  if  the  Nego- 
tiation was  to  break  off,  he  had  rather  it  should  be  done 
by  any  one  than  by  them.  He  talked  of  the  weakness 
of  the  evidence  to  be  deduced  from  d'Entraigue's  papers 
against  Pichegru,  and  that  great  part  of  them  were  mani- 
festly forged. 

Colchen  entered  into  a  very  long  discussion  on  the 
times  with  infinite  good  sense  and  calmness,  and  in  the 
language  of  a  man  accustomed  to  tliink  seriously  on 
public  events.  What  he  said  was  nearly  this — That 
from  his  private  attachment  to  several  of  the  individuals 
comprised  in  the  proscription,  he  was  deeply  aifected  by 
it,  particularly  by  the  sentence  passed  on  Barthelemi,  with 
whom  he  was  connected  by  the  sincerest  friendship  ;  that 
this  friendship  would  never  be  impaired  by  false  accusa- 
tions ;  and  he  was  the  more  hurt,  because  he  was  the 
principal  cause  of  Barthelemi's  accepting  the  post  of  Direc- 
tor. But  he  thought  now,  as  he  did  at  the  time,  that  it 
was  his  duty  to  accept,  and  he  could  not  repent  the 
advice  he  had  given,  although  it  had  produced  such  fatal 
efiects  to  his  friend  ;  that  Barthelemi  was  prepared  for 
the  event  ;  that  he  foresaw  what  might  happen ;  but,  tired 
of  revolutions  and  their  consequences,  which  had  been  so 
fatal  to  his  family,  he  was  determined  to  accept  the  office 
of  Director,  et  de  se  devouer  a  la  chose  puhlique.     His 

*  Tallien  was  a  violent  Jacobin,  scarcely  less  bloodthirsty  in  his  career 

than  Robespierre,  whom  he  overthrew.     He  followed  Napoleon  to  Egypt, 

and  being  taken  by  the  English  on  his  return,  came  to  London,  and  was 

f^te  by  the  Whig  Club,  and  at  Devonshire  House.     He  lived  unnoticed 

under  Napoleon,  and  died  in  extreme  want  in  1820. — (Biog.  Univ.) 

Madame  Tallien,  celebrated  for  her  beauty  and  wit,  exercised  a  favour- 
able influence  over  her  husband,  in  restraining  him  amidst  his  cruelties. 
She  was  divorced  from  him,  and  afterwards  married  the  Prince  de  Chimay. 


544  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [1797. 

object  never  was  any  other  than  to  support  and  strengthen 
the  present  form  of  constitution.  Colchen  then  mentioned 
the  circumstances  of  liis  (Barthelemi's)  uncle's  death,  and 
the  firmness  he  shewed  on  this  occasion.  He  was  eighty 
years  of  age.  He  furnished  all  the  materials  of  '  Le 
Jeime  Anacharsis  f  but  Barthelemi's  brother,  who  was 
employed  in  the  King's  library,  was  the  redacteur  of  these 
materials.  He  went  on  to  say,  that  all  the  persons 
arrested  are  the  most  estimable  and  most  able  men  in  the 
Republic.  It  is  for  this  reason,  and  not  from  any  prin- 
ciples of  Royalism,  (for  such  principles  do  not  belong  to 
them,)  that  they  are  sentenced  to  banishment.  Theii 
would  have  supported  the  Constitution ;  but  in  doing 
this  they  would  have  circumscribed  the  authority  of  the 
executive  power,  and  have  taken  from  the  Directory  the 
means  of  acquiring  and  of  exercising  undue  authority  ; 
that  the  seeing  this  Constitution  so  easily  overthrown 
was  painful  to  him,  because  it  contradicted  his  opinions 
as  to  the  wisdom  and  fairness  of  the  basis  on  which  it 
stood,  and  that  its  being  abolished,  and  a  dictatorial  au- 
thority instituted  in  its  place,  destroyed  in  him,  for  the 
moment,  every  hope  of  quiet  at  home  and  peace  abroad  ; 
that  in  regurd  to  himself  he  certainly  would  fall  with  his 
friend,  and  expected  every  hour  to  be  dismissed.  These, 
he  said,  were  serious  causes  for  being  deeply  afflicted  ;  but 
that  he  had  lived  long  enough  in  the  world,  and  acquired 
a  sufficient  degre  e  of  experience,  to  bear  them  with 
resignation,  and  not  to  be  surprised  at  their  happening. 
He  then  went  on  by  saying,  that  it  was  quite  impossible 
that  the  struggle  (la  lutte)  between  the  two  great  au- 
thorities should  not  be  renewed  ;  that  he  had  much  con- 
fidence in  the  spirit  and  disposition  of  the  Councils  of 
Ancients  ;  that  it  consisted  of  two  hundred  and  fifty  ; 
that  of  these,  eighty  only  were  Montagnards,  and  amongst 
these  several  were  Terrorists,  and,  of  course,  anti-direc- 
torial ;  that  only  twelve  or  thirteen  of  this  Council  had 
been  banished,  and  that,  of  course,  there  remained  a  very 
great  majority,  with  Dupont  de  Nemours  at  their  head ; 
that  they  would  certainly,  when  the  first  moment  of 
fcnncutation  was  over,  see  the  great  violation  that  had 


1707.]  LISLE.  545 

been  exercised  on  the  Constitution.  They  woukl  set  an 
inquiry  on  foot  to  know  "  Why  the  place  of  meeting  of 
the  Councils  had  been  altered  ;  why  laws  had  been  re- 
pealed in  four  days,  when  the  Constitution  required  a 
year  for  so  doing  ;  ivhy  others  had  been  enacted,  in  direct 
breach  of  its  fundamental  principles  ;  ivhy,  when,  by  the 
constitutional  act,  a  regular  form  of  proceeding  was  pro- 
vided for  the  impeachment  and  trial  of  members  of  either 
Council,  these  had  all  been  set  aside,  and  the  most 
arbitrary  proceeding  adopted  in  their  place ;  ivhy,  in  equal 
violation  of  the  fundamental  laws,  two  Directors  had  been 
banished  out  of  the  Republic  ;  and  ivhy  all  this  had  been 
done  without  any  regular  trial,  on  the  most  imperfect  evi- 
dence, on  supposed  or  real  facts  which  had  happened  a  long 
time  back,  which  were  all  known  to  have  happened  for 
many  months,  and  before  the  last  elections,  not  only  by 
the  Directory,  but  in  a  manner  by  the  public  ;  and  why, 
instead  of  bringing  the  persons  accused  to  justice,  if  they 
were  guilty,  at  the  moment  these  facts  came  to  their 
knowledge,  they  waited  so  long,  and  now  thought  them 
such  strong  proofs  of  guilt  as  to  authorize  them  to  pun- 
ish without  hearing  any  defence,  and  to  break  through 
the  Constitution  in  all  its  most  sacred  points.  That  with 
such  very  powerful  reasons,  which  no  argument  or  asser- 
tion could  overthrow,  he  was  in  hopes  the  Council  of 
Ancients  would  again  return  to  its  former  conduct,  and 
that  it  would  be  followed  in  time  by  that  of  the  Five 
Hundred  was  little  to  be  doubted  ;  a  new  contention 
would  then  be  opened  between  them  and  the  Directory, 
in  which  they  would  stand  on  the  constitutional  ground  ; 
they  would  be  supported  at  least  by  the  opinion  and 
wishes  of  the  nation,  (for  he  was  fully  convinced,  that 
their  minds  were  so  worn  out  and  disgusted  with  revolu- 
tions, and  so  cowed  by  persecution,  that  nothing  short  of 
self  personal  defence  could  induce  them  to  move  or  act)  ; 
and,  besides  the  next  to  impossibility  that  the  Directory 
could  venture  on  a  second  measure  of  deportation, 
there  could  be  no  mock  conspiracy  to  allege,  or  any 
fresh  papers,  real  or  fabricated,  to  produce,  on  a  point 
where  they  were  the  party  attacked,  not  the  attacking 

VOL.  III.  2  y 


54G  DIARIES   AND    CORRESPONDENCE.  [l707. 

party  ;  that  the  great  object  to  look  at  with  attention 
was  the  armies ;  that  if  they  entered  France  for  the 
purpose  of  supporting  the  Directory,  no  other  government 
than  martial  law  could  exist,  and  this  return  of  the 
armies  was  the  only  case  he  reserved  for  the  people 
acting.  They  would  act  for  their  own  self-defence  in 
such  a  case  ;  and  a  civil  war  become  inevitable.  But 
when  he  considered  the  characters  of  the  two  Direc- 
torial generals,  Buonaparte  and  Hoche,  he  did  not  think 
this  likely.  The  first,  whose  reputation  was  made, 
would  not  risk  it,  by  joining  in  a  civil  commotion  ;  and 
besides,  it  was  known  almost  to  a  certainty,  that  he  had 
views  for  himself  in  Italy,  and  perhaps  even  in  Greece  : 
that,  as  for  Hoche, ^^'  he  had  not  yet  fait  ses  prenves,  et 
qiiil  briiloit  datmr  I'occasion.  That  he  therefore  would 
be  very  unwilling  to  be  employed  merely  for  the  police 
of  the  country,  and  would  encourage  foreign  war — more 
likely  with  Germany,  where  he  was  almost  as  much  his 
own  master  as  Buonaparte  was  in  Italy.  He  therefore 
did  not  think  the  armies  would  lend  themselves  for  this 
purpose,  since,  besides  the  views  of  their  commanders, 
the  soldiery  were  divided  in  opinion,  and  would  not  be 
pushed  into  the  heart  of  France.  The  result  of  his 
reasoning  was,  that  the  supreme  authorities  would  go  on 
contending  till  one  completely  subdued  the  other ;  and 
that  in  this  opinion  (which  however  he  confessed  might 
be  biassed  by  his  wishes),  he  thought  it  more  probable 
that  the  Councils  would  prevail ;  but  it  might  be  a  long 
struggle,  and  while  it  lasted  be  attended  with  every  kind 
of  public  evil  and  misfortune.  On  collateral  grounds,  he 
said,  that  the  two  new  Directors,  JMerlin  de  Douay  and 
Francois  Neufchfiteau,  were  well  known  to  him.  He  had 
seen  a  great  deal  of  the  first,  when  he  belonged  to  the 
Committee  of  Public  Safety,  where  he  himself  was  em- 
ployed, with  the  rest  of  the  clerks  in  the  Foreign  Oflice, 

*  The  brave  Hoelic  was  near  his  end.  He  died  this  same  year,  by  poi- 
son, aged  29.  He  was  Buonajtarte's  rival  in  military  fame,  having  com- 
manded the  army  of  the  Moselle  at  24,  and  gained  repeated  victories  over 
the  Anstrians  and  Prussians.  His  attempt  upon  Ireland,  when  his  fleet  was 
partly  dispersed  by  storms  and  partly  destroyed  by  ours,  is  well  known  to 
the  reader. 


1797.]  LISLE.  547 

as  a  secretary.  That  Merlin  was  a  very  laborious,  inde- 
fatigable man,  with  great  courage  and  firmness  of  cha- 
racter, and  with  sufficient  abilities  ;  that  he  was  not  a 
Moder6 ;  but  still  that  he  was  inclined  to  peace,  and  by 
no  means  un  enrage.  That  it  was  ]\Ierlin  who  had  ven- 
tured first  to  propose  the  Prussian,  and  afterwards  the 
Spanish  Peace,  at  a  time  when  it  was  dangerous  to  pro- 
nounce the  word  peace ;  and  that  he  fancied  (though  he 
was  far  from  asserting  it  as  a  fact),  that  he  was  inclined 
to  make  peace  with  England. 

Neufchateau  was  a  derai-savant.  Voltaire  had  spoiled 
him.  He  was  a  poet  and  a  bel-esprit  —  not  used  to 
business,  though  thinking  himself  a  statesman  ;  that  he 
was  an  honest  man,  but  qu'il  avail  V esprit  extremement 
faux.  Both  of  them  were  the  favourites  and  dependants 
of  Rewbell ;  but  that  it  did  not  follow  from  this,  that 
the  Directory  would  be  for  war.  All  that  had  hitherto 
passed,  and  he  could  assure  me  that  it  was  pacific,  had 
been  approved  by  Rewbell ;  and  it  would  have  been 
perhaps  still  more  approved,  if  it  had  not  been  too 
strongly  supported  by  Carnot  and  Barthelemi  ;  and  if 
Rewbell  meant  peace,  it  was  much  more  likely  to  happen 
when  the  Directory  were  agreed  than  before  ;  that  Rew- 
bell was  ignorant  and  vain,  with  the  most  vulgar  preju- 
dices of  an  uneducated  and  illiterate  mind  ;  but  that  he 
was  easily  led  by  those  who  knew  him ;  that  the  great 
secret  was  not  to  let  him  perceive  that  his  ignorance  was 
discovered — by  giving  him  ideas,  and  then  receiving,  on 
executing  them,  as  his  own  ;  that  Merlin  understood 
this  perfectly  ;  and  when,  in  addition  to  it  by  his  fond- 
ness for  business  and  facility  in  doing  it,  he  would  be 
able  to  take  almost  the  whole  share  of  it  to  himself,  and 
leave  Rewbell  and  Barras  time  to  pursue  their  enjoy- 
ments, (for  they  were  both  voluptuaries,)  he  did  not 
doubt  that,  in  a  short  time,  Merlin  must  be  the  leading 
Director. 

The  Austrian  Peace  not  yet  signed.  No  letters  from 
Udine  for  the  last  fortnight,  although  every  person  seems 
to  say  that  that  Negotiation  is  now  on  the  point  of  being 
concluded. 

2  N  2 


548  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [1797. 

Maret  said  nothing  new  this  evening  ;  that  he  con- 
sidered the  nomination  of  Charles  Delacroix  as  very 
doubtful ;  but,  if  he  did  come,  it  certainly  would  be  with 
pacific  instructions.  His  reasonings  like  those  of  the 
others.  I  should  give  them  more  credit,  if  the  people 
with  whom  we  have  to  deal  were  like  others ;  but 
they  are  not  governed  by  the  same  rules  and  princi- 
ples, and  the  causes  and  effects  do  not  agree  when  ap- 
plied to  them,  as  they  would  were  they  like  the  rest 
of  mankind. 

Monday,  Sept.  11. — Colchen  called  to  say,  that  the 
post  of  this  morning  had  brought  the  recal  of  the  whole 
French  Legation,  and  that  Treilhard"  and  Bonnier 
d'Alcof  were  appointed  in  their  stead.  He  added,  that 
they  were  required  to  say,  that  this  would  make  no 
alteration  in  the  principles  of  the  Negotiation,  or  in  the 
sentiments  of  the  French  Government.  Treilhard,  ori- 
ginally a  very  famous  advocate  at  Paris,  was  of  the  Con- 
stituent Assembly,  du  Cote  Gauche,  and  l)ehaved  well  ; 
afterwards  of  the  Convention,  where  he  became  of  the 
Mountain.  He  voted  the  King's  death,  and  was  at  the 
head  of  a  revolutionary  committee.  When  the  present 
Constitution  was  formed,  the  Directory  appointed  him 
Consul  at  Naples.  Colchen  called  him  "  un  homme  qui 
avoit  de  la  loyaute  et  de  la  franchise,  avec  de  la  bon- 
hommie  ;  at  the  same  time,  he  described  him  as  un  em- 
porU,  but  was  sure  he  would  be  attentive  in  o])serving 
all  the  forms  of  civility  and  good  manners.  Bonnier 
d'Alco,  a  Languedocian,  was  one  of  tlie  members  qui  ctoit 
mi  haut  de  la  Montagne.  He  was  cried  up  extremely 
before  he  appeared  in  the  Constituent  Assembly,  where 
he  was  sent  to  be  an  equal  to  Mirabeau,  but  he  never 
opened  his  mouth,  and  retired  in  order  to  get  round 
{pour  accuparer)  Rewbell ;  and  it  was  this  D'Alco  who 

*  Ticilliard  was  employed  in  several  missions  by  the  Republican  Govern- 
ment, and  was  made  Councillor  of  State  by  Napoleon.     He  died  in  1810. 

t  IJonnicr  d'Alco  in  the  ensuing  year  Avas  sent  to  the  Congress  of 
Radstadt,  as  Plenipotentiary.  On  his  way  to  Strasburg,  after  the  rupture  of 
the  Negotiatidns,  he  and  his  colleague,  Robergot,  were  killed  by  a  detach- 
ment of  Austrian  Hussars. — (Biog.  Univ.) 


1797.]  LISLE.  549 

assisted  liiin  in  drawing  up  all  the  papers  when  he 
directed  the  Department  of  Foreign  Affairs,  for  Charles 
Delacroix  was  trusted  with  nothing.  Since  Barthelemi's 
election,  all  those  departments  in  the  Directory  have 
been  suppressed,  and  D'Alco  was  without  employment. 
He  is  a  rank  Jacobin  ;  he  was  very  "  aimable/'  but  is  now 
quite  the  reverse.  They  are  to  choose  their  own  secre- 
tary. 

Colchen  obsei'ved,  that  he  was,  in  his  own  mind,  per- 
suaded the  Directory  meant  peace,  and  that,  if  they  had 
intended  a  rupture,  they  would  have  left  to  them  the  dis- 
agreement of  transacting  it.  "  On  n'airne  pas  les  amis  de 
ses  ennemis,''  and  it  was  very  natural  that  the  successful 
termination  of  the  i^egotiation  should  not  be  left  to  them. 
Many,  and  I  believe  sincere,  regrets  on  their  recal,  as  far 
as  it  related  to  us  personally.  Le  Tourneur  seemed  par- 
ticularly to  feel  these.  He  very  angry  and  mortified. 
JMaret  bears  it  well  and  gaiement.  I  am  heartily  sorry 
on  every  account  to  lose  them.  They  have  acted  openly 
and  fairly  by  me  ;  more  so  than  I  ever  experienced  from 
any  French  negotiators  with  whom  I  have  had  to  do. 

Pein  at  twelve,  to  announce  what  we  had  already  heard. 
Cheerful  note  from  Maret.  Agree  that  Maret,  from  his 
intimacy  with  Talleyrand,  may  still  be  of  use,  and  that 
he  would  be  so  when  at  Paris.  Pein  abused  the  two 
new  negotiators  ;  said  they  were  rank  Jacobins ;  but,  like 
all  the  others,  contended  we  should  have  peace.  He 
said,  the  Directory  would  name  to  the  vacancies  in  the 
Councils,  and  call  the  i»rimary  assemblies  together  before 
the  time  fixed,  viz.  1st  of  Germinal  next. 

Conference.  Writing — Play — JMy  box  filled  with  the 
French  Legation — Madames  Pascal  and  Jouy.  The  Com- 
missary of  Executive  Power  called  Le  Tourneur  out  to  say, 
that  he  had  discovered  that  Carnot  was  here,  and  that  I 
was  going  to  send  him  away  with  a  passport,  disguised  as 
a  courier  (Vanscheik''"'  being  taken  for  Carnot) ;  it  was  very 

*  A  very  faithful  old  servant,  who  had  been  with  Lord  Malmesbury  in 
Russia,  and  was  always  employed  by  him  to  carry  important  despatclics. 
He  was  of  gigantic  stature  and  strength,  and  as  he  could  never  be  persuaded 
that  his  master's  life  was  safe  in  France,  he  always  insisted  on  sleeping 
across  the  outside  of  his  door. 


550  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [1797. 

amusing.  Le  Toiirneiir  in  a  rage— abused  the  Commis- 
sary. "  Tant  qu^il  6toit  ici  c'etoit  a  lui  de  regler  les 
ordres  pour  mes  couriers,  et  s'il  ^toit  n^cessaire  d'y 
veiller,  que  I'intervention  du  Commissaire  ^toit  preuve  de 
sa  betise  et  de  sa  malveillance."  Maret  apologised  to  me. 
I  said  it  was  much  more  a  matter  of  laughter  than  of 
auger,  aud  by  no  means  worthy  of  notice.  Vanscheik 
started  at  midnight. 


Saturday,  Sept.  9,  24th  Conference. — Le  Tourneur 
began  by  saying  he  had  no  letters,  and  went  on  by  as- 
suring me,  that  he  could,  with  certainty,  promise  me  the 
Negotiation  would  go  on  on  Monday.  I  did  not  remark 
the  impossibility  of  his  affirming  this  so  positively  if  he 
had  received  no  letters.  Maret  said  he  had  received  a 
letter  from  the  Hague  (from  Noel),  which  was  a  little 
more  satisfactory  than  the  answers  hitherto  made  by  the 
Dutch.     Colchen  was  silent. 


Monday,  Sept.  11,  25th  Conference. — Le  Tourneur 
announced  to  me  his  recal,  and  that  of  the  whole  Lega- 
tion. Treilhard  and  Bonnier  named  to  succeed  them. 
He  had  orders  to  say,  that  this  was  to  produce  no  change 
as  to  the  dispositions  of  the  Directory.  Very  much  hurt. 
Maret  said,  "  Nous  sommes  victimes  de  I'amitie ;  Le 
Tourneur  a  ^t6  sacritie  a  cause  de  son  attachment  pour 
Carnot,  moi  a  cause  du  mien  pour  Barthelemi."  Colchen 
silent.  I  begged  them  to  give  me  an  official  Note  of  what 
they  said,  and  it  was  sent  me  before  dinner. 


EXTRACTS   OF    A    DESPATCH    FROM    LORD    MALMESBURY    TO 

LORD    GREiWILLE. 

Lisle,  11th  Sept.,  1797. 

]\I.  Colchen  called  on  me  this  morning,  immec^iately 
after  the  arrival  of  the  letters  from  Paris,  to  acc^uaint  me 


1707. J  LISLE.  551 

with  the  recal  of  the  whole  French  Mission,  and  to  pre- 
pare me  for  what  I  was  to  hear  at  the  Conference. 

I  was  very  sincere  when  I  expressed  to  him  my  con- 
cern at  what  he  told  me,  and  I  should  be  highly  unjust 
if  I  was  not  to  declare  that,  under  the  circumstances  for 
which  we  are  met,  it  is  impossible  to  have  conducted 
themselves  with  more  cordiality,  good  humour,  and  good 
faith,  than  the  whole  of  the  French  Legation,  as  well  in 
their  official  capacity  as  when  we  have  met  (as  we  have 
daily  of  late)  under  the  more  familiar  and  intimate  inter- 
course of  private  society. 

iM.  Treilhard  was,  before  the  Revolution,  an  advocate 
of  distinction  at  Paris,  and  was  chosen  a  member  of  the 
Constituent  Assembly,  where  his  conduct  met  with  very 
general  approbation ;  but,  during  the  progress  of  the 
Revolution,  he  became  more  and  more  exaggerated  in  his 
ideas  of  liberty,  and,  being  returned  to  the  Convention, 
gave  his  vote  for  the  King's  death,  and,  during  the  Reign 
of  Terror,  distinguished  himself  in  the  Revolutionary 
Committee  as  an  active  and  zealous,  though  not  a  cruel, 
partisan  of  the  Mountain.  On  account  of  these  prin- 
ciples, though  his  character  in  point  of  probity  is  un- 
impeached,  he  became  generally  odious  to  the  nation  ; 
and,  when  the  Directory  had  appointed  him  as  Consul  to 
the  Court  of  N'aples,  they  were  forced,  by  the  indignation 
which  was  excited  by  the  indecency  of  sending  one  of 
the  King's  judges  to  a  Court  where  his  sister-in-law  was 
on  the  throne,  to  revoke  the  nomination.  Though  his 
temper  is  passionate  and  violent,  his  manners  are  said  to 
be  decent  and  proper,  his  behaviour  frank  and  open,  and 
his  talents  respectable. 

M.  Bonnier  d'Alco  was  a  President  de  la  Cour  des 
Aides  at  Montpellier,  a  man  of  letters,  and  possessing  the 
sort  of  talents  which,  during  the  Monarchy,  were  admired 
in  society.  He  was  returned  to  the  Legislative  Assembly, 
and,  from  the  reputation  he  carried  with  him,  he  was  ex- 
pected to  become  the  rival  of  Mirabeau  in  eloquence ; 
but  he  never  opened  his  mouth,  and  has  never  distin- 
guished himself,  except  by  the  Jacobinical  violence  of  his 
principles  during  the  course  of  the  Revolution.     He  was 


552  DIARIES   AND    CORRESPONDENCE.  [l797. 

a  member  of  the  Convention  and  of  the  Legislative  Coun- 
cils, but  went  out  on  the  first  third.  During  the  time 
that  the  Directory  had  a  separate  office  distinct  from  the 
several  ministerial  departments,  llewbell,  who  had  as- 
sumed to  himself  the  management  of  Foreign  Aifairs,  and 
who  was  at  a  loss  for  a  person  who  should  have  sufficient 
talents  for  the  office,  and  who  should,  at  the  same  time, 
be  so  obscure  as  to  leave  him  in  possession  of  all  the 
credit  arising  from  it,  made  choice  of  Bonnier,  and  he 
was  the  person  who  reallj  drew  up  all  the  diplomatic 
papers  that  were  submitted  to  the  Directory  while  Ch. 
Delacroix  (who  never  enjoyed  any  confidence)  was  in 
office.  He  is  said  to  have  adopted,  in  lieu  of  the  elegant 
manners  for  which  he  was  once  distinguished,  the  Jaco- 
binical arrogance  of  his  party,  and  to  be  haughty  and 
impracticable  in  business.  His  general  character  is  as 
bad  as  possible. 

It  is  the  unanimous  opinion  of  the  French  Mission,  and 
I  do  not  doubt  that  they  were  perfectly  sincere  when 
they  gave  it  me,  that  this  new  appointment  will  make  no 
difference  whatever  in  the  event  of  the  Negotiation,  and 
that  it  will  proceed  precisely  as  it  would  have  done  if  it 
had  been  left  in  their  hands. 

M.  Le  Tourneur,  who  is  )iot  the  least  hurt  by  this 
abrupt  dismissal,  was  even  stronger  in  his  assurances  on 
this  point  than  his  colleagues ;  and  he  went  so  far  as  to 
say,  "  Qa'oii  hd  avoit  arrache  la  douceur  de  fa'ire  la 
Paixr 

In  regard  to  my  own  opinion,  I  confess  it  remains 
nearly  the  same.  The  new  Plenipotentiaries  may  per- 
haps bring  what  they  may  term  a  pacific  contre-projct ; 
but  till  I  find  it  really  deserves  that  character,  I  cannot 
admit  expectations  and  hopes  into  my  mind  which  to  me 
seem  to  rest  on  no  solid  foundation,  and  whicli  tlie  tried 
character  of  this  Government  by  no  means  authorizes. 


1797.J  LISLE.  boS 

EXTRACTS    OF    A    LETTER    FROM    LORD    MALMESBURY    TO 

MR.   CANNING. 

Lisle,  nth  Sept.,  1797. 

If  jou  do  not  intend  that  I  should  remain  here  alone, 
and  in  my  shirt,  (for  I  shall  be  compelled  to  pawn  my 
clothes  if  you  do  not  supply  me  with  the  means  of  going 
on,)  send  me  messengers  and  boxes.  I  should  not  have 
parted  with  so  necessary  a  servant  as  the  man  I  now  send, 
if  I  did  not  think  it  material,  that  the  names,  characters, 
and  dispositions  of  my  new  antagonists  should  be  known, 
and  time  given  for  reflection  in  consequence.  It  is  not 
fair  to  bring  in  fi^esh  men  after  I  have  been  so  long  in  the 
field ;  and  it  is  seriously  a  matter  of  very  great  concern  to 
me  to  lose  those  with  whom  I  have  acted  hitherto  ;  tlieir 
whole  conduct  and  behaviour  has  been  as  straight-for- 
ward, and  as  honourable  as  possible ;  and  I  have  little, 
(I  will  say)  no  doubt,  but  that  if  this  ill-timed  mischief 
had  not  burst  forth  at  Paris,  we  should  have  ended  our 
Negotiation  in  a  very  satisfactory  way  to  our  respective 
Governments,  and  to  ourselves.  As  it  is,  the  most  I  can 
do  is,  to  begin  this  fresh  encounter  with  no  unfavourable 
impressions ;  for  however  just  and  probable  tlie  rea- 
sonings I  hear  may  be,  why  it  should  terminate  to  my  ad- 
vantage, I  cannot  give  them  admission,  or  allow  myself  to 
retain  a  particle  of  those  sanguine  hopes  I  entertained, 
(and  I  believe  so  justly,)  at  the  time  of  Wesley's  last  de- 
parture. But  remember,  there  is  a  broad  line  between 
hope  and  despondency ;  that  I  shall  carry  none  of  this 
last  to  the  Conferences  I  may  hold,  but  act  as  if  I  was 
persuaded,  that  moderate  and  just  propositions  ought  to 
prevail  over  arrogant  and  ridiculous  pretensions. 

George  Ellis  writes  :  pray  when  he  comes  to  England, 
do  not  let  him  coax  you  into  the  propriety  of  his  re- 
maining there,  and  that  there  is  no  necessity  for  his  re- 
turning to  Lisle.  The  fact  is,  there  is  no  reason  at  all, 
everything  considered,  that  makes  his  being  in  England 
an  hour  beyond  that  belonging  to  the  business,  even  a 
justifiable  measure /or  a  man  like  him,  in  times  like  these. 
Pray  send  Leveson  back,  he  will  not  be  in  at  the  death 
else. 


554  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [  1797. 


LETTER    FROM    MR.  TITT    TO    LORD    MALMESBURY. 

Downing  Street,  11th  Sept.  1797. 

My  dear  Lord, — K  Lord  Granville  had  been  tlie 
bearer  of  the  despatch  now  sent  you,  I  would  have 
written  to  you  all  that  occurs  to  me  (vague  and  con- 
jectural as  it  must  be)  on  the  late  extraordinary  events. 
Deferring  that  for  the  present,  I  need  now  only  say,  that 
on  the  main  points  in  question  in  the  Negotiation  my 
opinions  remain  wialterahhj  what  I  stated  to  you  in  our 
last  conversation ;  that,  on  that  line,  I  shall  at  all  events 
act,  and  that  collateral  difficulties  may  I  think  always  be 
overcome  by  a  mixture  of  firmness  and  temper.  I  rather 
incline  both  to  believe  and  hope  that  the  party  now  pre- 
dominant will  think  the  enjoyment  of  their  triumph  more 
likely  to  be  both  complete  and  secure  in  peace  than  in 
war.  Yours,  &c.  W,  Pitt. 


Tuesday,  Sept.  12. — Sent  my  answer  to  the  French 
Note  announcing  the  recal.  Called  on  Madame  Duces. 
She  very  well  bred,  gentle,  and  naive  ;  very  unreserved 
in  her  public  sentiments,  and  very  sorry  and  angry  at  the 
recal.  Play — in  the  French  box  nothing  new,  vague 
reports ;  general  belief  that  the  present  state  of  things 
would  not  last ;  that  it  was  not  even  over  ;  that  all  the 
public  papers  we  saw  concealed  the  real  truth,  and  that 
in  some  of  them  they  appeared  to  confess  they  did  so 
from  fear  ;  that  it  was  extraordinary  no  one  had  arrived 
here  from  Paris  ;  that  it  looked  as  if  things  were  not 
settled,  and  this  idea  confirmed  by  the  great  eagerness  the 
Directory  expressed  to  proceed  with  rapidity.  But  all 
these  are  conjectures,  and  although  they  may  be  founded 
on  probability,  yet  are  certainly  not  such  as  to  be  acted 
on.  Ml/  belief  is,  that  this  event  may  produce  an  imme- 
diate evil  by  breaking  off  the  public  negotiation  with 
which  I  am  cliarged,  but  that,  in  the  end,  it  may  tend  to 
create  sucli  a  confusion  and  disorder  here,  that  more  essen- 
tial advantages  may  arise  from  it,  than  any  which  would 


1797.]  LISLE.  555 

follow  the  conclusion  of  peace  at  this  moment.  The  only 
consideration  to  be  attended  to  (and  it  is  one  that  over- 
rules all  others)  is  the  way  in  which  it  will  be  understood 
and  felt  in  England,  and  whether  it  will  be  possible  to  im- 
press this  very  probable  chance  so  forcibly  on  the  minds  of 
the  public  at  large,  as  to  prevent  the  effects  of  their  dis- 
appointment at  the  breaking  off  a  Treaty  they  had  reason 
(and  with  great  truth)  to  think  on  the  point  of  being 
concluded ;  and  to  raise  in  them  a  spirit  and  disposition, 
to  carry  on  the  war  with  vigour  for  one  or  two  more  cam- 
paigns. Were  this  certain,  I  should  not  consider  the 
event  of  the  4th  September,  as  one  at  all  to  be  lamented ; 
for  here  it  is,  /  really  believe,  impossible  by  any  means, 
even  by  force,  to  get  at  money  equal  to  pursue  the  war  in 
a  way  dangerous  to  us.  The  war  too  is  become  most  un- 
popular, and  its  duration  will  be  more  so,  when  it  is  made 
evident  to  the  French  that  the  terms  proposed  by  us  were 
such  as  this  Government  could  not  have  repelled  if  they 
sincerely  meant  either  the  advantage  of  the  country  or  the 
good  of  the  people. 


Wednesday,  Sept.  13. — On  getting  up  it  was  said  the 
new  Plenipotentiaries  had  arrived  in  the  night ;  at  eleven 
they  went  to  the  Municipality,  and  from  thence  sent  their 
Secretary  to  me,  to  ask  when  I  would  receive  them.  I 
said,  immediately.  They  came  accompanied  by  their  pre- 
decessors. Treilhard  spoke  :  he  said  he  had  orders  to  de- 
clare the  pacific  intentions  of  the  French  Government, 
and  that  he  and  his  colleague  were,  from  their  oAvn  per- 
sonal feelings,  strongly  disposed  to  act  up  to  them.  He 
then  talked  and  talked  well,  and  like  a  man  "  qui  a 
I'usage  du  monde."  His  countenance  is  a  good  one,  his 
manners  easy  and  well  bred.  Bonnier  said  little  ;  his 
countenance  vile  ;  his  dress  and  address  affectedly  Jaco- 
bin, and  his  whole  accoutrement  in  the  same  character ; 
he  looked  like  a  iwoselyte  to  those  principles,  and  rather 
ashamed  to  be  in  good  company,  to  which  he  had  once  be- 
longed. The  Secretary,  Monsieur  Derche,  also  of  a  Ja- 
cobin a})pearance.     On  leaving  me,  Le  Tourneur  in  a  very 


556  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [l797. 

well  turned  phrase,  and  witli  a  good  manner,  said,  "  Nous 
ne  pouvons,  JMilord,  terminer  notre  Mission,  et  nous 
eloigner  de  vous,  sans  vous  temoigner  la  satisfaction  que 
nous  avons  eu  de  traiter  avec  un  negotiateur  qui  s'est 
conduit  avec  autant  de  loyaute  et  de  franchise.  Nous 
n'en  perdrons  jamais  le  souvenir,  et  nous  esperons  conser- 
ver  une  place  dans  votre  estime  coinme  vous  en  aurez 
toujours  dans  la  notre."  I  made  a  suitable  reply  to  this 
very  civil,  and  (if  we  consider  that  his  successors  were 
present)  very  manly  and  handsome  speech.  As  soon  as 
they  were  gone,  I  sent  Ross  to  inquire  their  hour,  and 
when  I  might  return  the  visit.  The  answer  was  "  imme- 
diately, if  I  chose  it."  I  went.  The  old  Legation  did  not 
come  into  the  room.  I  presented  Ellis  and  IVlorpeth. 
Treilhard  again  took  the  lead  in  the  conversation,  repeat- 
ed his  instructions  were  pacific,  and  his  disposition  equally 
so.  "  Qu'il  desiroit  faire  la  paix  avec  tout  le  monde." 
Bonnier  rather  more  communicative.  He  repeated  what 
Treilhard  said,  and  seemed  to  have  more  sense  than  his 
countenance  and  outward  manners  announce.  On  en- 
tering the  room  I  said,  "  Que  j'etois  empresse  de  rendre 
egards  pour  egards,"  and  repeated  what  Le  Tourneur  had 
said  to  me  on  my  first  coming.  We  agreed  to  hold  no 
Conference  to-day  and  perhaps  not  to-morrow.  They  at- 
tended me  to  the  door. 

From  them  we  called  on  our  old  friends,  whom  we 
found  assembled  in  Madame  Ducos's  room.  We  vied 
with  each  other  in  assurances  of  regret,  &c.,  and  were 
equally  sincere  ;  for  I  nuist  repeat,  nothing  can  have 
been  more  straight-forward,  more  lil)eral,  and  more  con- 
fidential than  the  whole  of  the  behaviour  of  them  all. 
Le  Tourneur  took  uncommon  pains  to  express  his  con- 
cern at  leaving  mc.  lie  gave  me  his  direction,  and  we 
made  a  kind  of  promise  to  corres2)ond.  jMadame  Ducos 
had  tears  in  her  eyes,  and  the  most  amiable  confiding 
freedom  possible  in  her  manners  and  exj)ressions.  Le 
Tourneur,  whom  I  whispered  as  we  went  down  stairs,  said 
that  he  lu'lieved  their  instructions  were  really  ])acific,  and 
tliat  Peace  would  l)e  made,  lie  spoke  well  of  Treilhard, 
as  did  Colchen.     Certainly  the  first  imj)ression  is  in  his 


1797.]  LISLE.  557 

favour,  as  miicli  as  it  is  against  Bonnier.  In  the  evening 
walked  by  the  side  of  the  Canal  de  Donay,  witli  Monsieur 
and  Madame  Ducos  and  Maret.  The  latter  said  they  had 
been  giving  an  account,  and  a  very  exact  one,  to  their 
successors,  of  all  that  had  passed  in  the  course  of  the  ne- 
gotiation up  to  this  day,  and  from  the  way  in  which  they 
received  it,  and  particularly  from  their  having  expressed 
their  approbation  of  declining  to  bring  forward  the  extra- 
vagant instructions  drawn  up  by  Charles  Delacroix,  he 
was  inclined  to  think  their  orders  were  pacific,  and  that 
they  would  bona  fide  go  on  with  the  negotiation  in  the 
same  manner,  and  with  the  same  object,  as  it  had  pro- 
,ceeded  hitherto.  He  said  on  his  arrival  at  Paris  he  should 
be  able  to  know  the  precise  truth  of  this,  and  would  take 
care  to  keep  me  informed — his  idea  of  two  seals — that 
if  the  Bishop  of  Autun  stayed  on,  he  should  have  it  in 
his  power  to  do  this,  and  with  great  utility.  He  said  he 
believed  we  should  be  al)le  to  get  from  the  Dutch  Trin- 
comalee,  and  all  the  towns,  and  military  establishments  in 
Ceylon,  if  we  would  consent  to  carry  on  the  trade  in  com- 
mon with  the  Dutch,  and  not  monopolize  the  commerce ; 
that  some  means  might  be  devised  for  making  the  Cape 
neutral,  under  all  circumstances  of  peace  or  war.  He 
wished  to  know  of  me  whether  these  conditions  would  be 
sufficient.  I  hesitated  as  to  the  Cape ;  but  believed 
some  arrangements,  like  that  he  proposed,  might  be  made 
for  Ceylon.  He  said  that  Spain  wanted  a  great  deal,  and 
would  bring  forth  extravagant  proposals,  but  that  she 
would  give  nothing ;  perhaps  France  would  consent  to  in- 
crease our  settlements  near  Senegal,  if  we  restored  Trini- 
dad ;  that  in  regard  to  the  claim  of  France,  the  Toulon 
ships  would  not  be  a  great  difficulty,  nor  the  mortgage  on 
the  Low  Countries  ;  but  that  a  stand  would  be  made  on 
the  King's  title,  and  not  easily  got  rid  of.  That  they 
wanted  also  something  more  at  Newfoundland,  but  to  a 
small  extent ;  that  I  should  find  Treilhard  disposed  to 
please  and  be  civil.  The  other.  Bonnier,  was  become 
farouche  ;  that,  however,  they  wished  to  live  familiarly 
and  on  an  easy  footing  with  us,  and  were  very  particular 
in  their  inquiries  about  those  with  us.     He  told  them  I 


558  DIARIES    AND    CORRESPONDENCE.  [l797. 

had  sent  one  of  my  suite  to  England  when  anvtliing  ex- 
traordinary occurred,  and  he  prepared  them  for  my  doing 
so  again.  Speaking  of  them  he  said,  they  appeared  em- 
barrassed and  awkward.  He  thought  the  business  would 
last  much  longer,  as  no  answer  was  yet  arrived  from  Hol- 
land. In  speaking  of  Paris,  he  said,  "  L affaire  jmroissoit 
s\ff'ermir  et prendre  rac'ine!'  He  believed  in  Moreau's 
letter  about  Pichegru.  We  walked  till  it  was  dark.  At 
half-past  eight,  Maret  and  Colchen  called  to  take  leave 
of  me ;  very  friendly  and  kind  behaviour.  The  new 
ministers  have  for  their  Secretaire  General  j\Ionsieur 
Derch6,  Chef  de  la  troisieme  division  politique  dans  le 
Bureau  des  Affaires  Etrang^res.  He  talks  English.  He. 
was  a  teacher  of  French  in  London,  and  was  sent  away 
under  the  Alien  Bill  in  the  beginning  of  the  war :  each 
of  them  has  also  a  private  secretary.  Pein  told  Ellis, 
that  Treilhard  was  "faux  comme  un  jeton,  avec  des 
manieres  assez  reduisantes." 


Thursday,  Sept.  14. — Le  Tourneur  left  Lisle  early  : 
Maret  and  his  friends  at  noon.  I  received  in  the  night  ac- 
counts, brought  back  by  Vanscheik  from  Calais,  of  the  mes- 
sengers Brooks  and  Magister  being  drowned  as  they  were 
landing  in  a  boat  from  the  Diana  packet,  Captain  Osborne, 
off  Calais  ;  one  out  of  the  two  sailors  was  saved,  and  all  the 
boxes  but  one,  in  which  there  was  nothing  material.  I 
heard  since  from  the  messenger,  J.  Pauter,  that  Brooks 
held  by  the  boat  three-quarters  of  an  hour  ;  that  then  his 
strength  failed  him,  —  in  about  twenty  minutes  afterwards 
relief  came.'"'  Nothing  was  brought  by  this  messenger 
except  very  comfortable  private  letters  from  Pitt.  I  had 
just  time  to  communicate  this  to  Alaret,  &c.,  before  they 
went  away.  Drove  with  j\Iorpeth  and  Ellis  by  the  Douay 
canal,  and  walked  to  some  distance  ;  the  sides  of  it, 
about  five  miles  from   Lisle,   very  pleasant.     An  Abb6 

*  Lord  Granville  Levcson  in  spite  of  liis  earnest  request  to  be  allowed  to 
return  to  Lisle,  as  he  had  jiromised,  with  these  messengers,  was  detained  by 
Mr.  Pitt  for  a  few  days,  and  saved  his  life  by  this  delay.  He  would 
otherwise  have  shared  the  fate  of  poor  Brooks,  whose  name  lias  often 
recurred  in  these  volumes. 


1797.]  LISLE.  559 

Dumontel,  wlio  said  he  was  connected  witli  Drake,"'  wrote 
me  a  letter  in  the  evening,  expressing  a  wish  to  see  me, 
and  that  he  had  important  things  to  communicate.  I 
sent  Ross  to  him  :  it  appeared  that  he  was  connected 
closely  with  Montgaillard,t  and  one  of  the  useless  agents 
employed  by  our  duped  Ministers  in  Italy.  I  refused 
to  see  him,  and  recommended  his  instant  departure  from 
Lisle.J 

Feiday,  Sept.  1 5. — Visit  from  Hamilton  and  Jouy  ;  first 
conference  with  Treilhard  and  Bonnier  :  Ellis  with  Pein 
in  the  evening.  Pein  said  the  note  given  me  by  the  new 
plenipotentiaries,  was  Ch.  Delacroix  tout  crache  ;  augur- 
ed ill  from  it  ;  did  not  understand  it ;  saw  there  was 
something  behind.  At  the  play  ;  no  one  in  the  French 
box  but  their  secretaries,  most  ill-looking  fellows.  Two 
officers  of  the  Troupes  de  Ligne  were  with  them,  but  no 
one  of  those  who  used  to  frequent  the  box  went  near 
them. 

Satueday,  Sept.  16. — Walked.  Evident  dissatisfaction 
in  everybody's  face  on  the  change  in  the  French  Legation. 
Vanacker,  the  bookseller,  concealed  all  such  books  as  were 
anti-revolutionary ;  and  the  dread  of  a  return  of  the 
System  of  Terror  seemed  to  prevail  universally.  —  A  Note 
from  the  Plenipotentiaries,  sending  me  home  in  twenty- 
four  hours. 

Sunday,  Sept.  17 — Last  Conference  at  twelve.  Writ- 
ing ;  Play  ;  Consternation  on  my  going  away  very  gene- 
ral.    The  conduct  of  the  French  Government  quite  unin- 

*  British  Minister  at  Stuttgard. 

+  A  political  intriguer  attached  to  the  army  of  Prince  Conde.  He  had 
been  banished  from  London  under  the  Alien  Act  in  1794. 

J  Lord  Malmesbury  afterwards  discovered  that  this  Dumontel  was  sent 
to  entrap  him  into  an  interview,  and  enable  the  Directory  to  hold  up  Lord 
Malmesbury  as  conspiring  against  the  State,  and  they  would  have  founded 
their  rupture  of  the  negotiations  upon  this  plea.  Adolphus's  account  of  this 
circumstance  is  incorrectly  told,  as  he  states  that  Lord  Malmesbury  met  the 
traitor  in  person.  It  is  the  only  error  I  have  discovered  in  his  work  which 
I  have  been  able  to  test  from  the  internal  evidence  of  the  Hiirris'  Papers. 
Both  as  to  facts  and  niol.ivcs,  Adolphus  is  singularly  exact. 


560  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [l797. 

telligible.  The  Plenipotentiaries  as  civil  in  their  man- 
ners as  possible,  and  outrcs  in  pacific  professions,  as 
well  in  their  own  name,  as  in  that  of  the  Directory  ;  j-et 
their  conduct  is  more  violent  and  absurd  than  was  ever 
heard  of.  It  was  a  matter  of  very  interesting  curiosity 
to  me  to  see  the  real  Jacobin's  manner  and  costume, 
which  Bonnier  had  assumed  ;  insolent,  with  an  air  and 
affectation  of  protecting  civility  :  Treilhard  was  more 
open  and  frank.  It  was  also  a  very  curious  circumstance 
to  see  the  horror  that  prevailed  everywhere,  lest  the 
System  of  Terror  should  be  revived.  People  looked  as 
if  some  Extenninating  Spirit  was  approaching  :  this  fear 
must  in  the  end  create  resistance,  although,  perhaps,  at 
a  distant  period.  At  the  play,  the  actors  partook  of  the 
sensation.  The  Directeur  called  Paris,  said  to  Ross,  on 
his  paying  him,  "Nous  allons  actuellement  etre  Van- 
dalises." Madame  Chevalier,  who  learnt  it  in  the  middle 
of  the  play,  was  so  affected,  as  not  to  be  able  to  sing 
as  usual.  She  and  her  sister  (Madame  Fabrassart)  came 
to  me  after  the  play,  and  expressed  their  concern  and 
apprehensions  in  the  strongest  degree.  Ellis  with  Pein  ; 
the  latter  astonished,  and  very  angry;  said,  that  they 
were  les  plus  mechants  des  sots,  &c. 


LETTER    FROM    JIR.  PITT    TO    LORD   MALMESBURY. 

Hollwood,  Thursday,  14th  Sept.,  1797. 

My  dear  Lord.  —I  have  this  moment  learnt  from  Can- 
ning, that  the  equinox  has  been  fatal  to  two  of  our 
messengers,  and  that  it  is  doubtful  whether  our  packet 
will  have  readied  you  in  a  legil:)le  state.  I  do  not  like  to 
detain  the  messenger  who  is  to  go  to-night,  by  writing  at 
any  length,  but  I  wish  you  extremely  to  know,  that  I 
tliink  the  business  of  Portugal  cannot  be  an  unsurmount- 
ablc  obstacle  ;  that  what  has  been  done  at  Lisbon  before 
our  remonstrance  was  received,  puts  it  in  the  best  state 
for  any  line  we  may  ultimately  adopt ;  and  that,  on  all 
material  points  in  the  whole  of  your  negotiation,   my 


1797.]  LISLE.  5G1 

opinion  will  remain  unaltered  (though  my  hopes  are  ra- 
ther more  sanguine),  and  my  ultimate  determination  will 
be  what  I  think  jou  know.  I  believe,  however,  all  will 
end  in  what  I  shall  reckon  more  than  well. 

Yours,  &c. 

W.  Pitt. 

P.  S. — I  know  not  what  to  expect  from  the  underplot 
of  the  Revolution  in  changing  the  faces  of  all  the  French 
Negotiators.  It  will  be  strange  if  we  come  to  regret  Sir 
Gregory. 

[The  preceding  events  described  in  the  Diary  were  of 
course  officially  communicated  to  Lord  Grenville  and  Mr. 
Pitt  ;  but  as  Lord  Malmesbury  writes  to  them  almost  in 
the  same  words  as  in  his  Journal,  I  have  omitted  the 
Despatches.] 


DESPATCH    FROM    LORD    MALMESBURY    TO    LORD    GRENVILLE. 

Lisle,  Sunday,  I7th  Sept.,  1797,  at  Midnight. 

My  Lord, — I  shall  endeavour  in  this  despatch  to  give 
your  Lordship  as  circumstantial  an  account  as  my  me- 
mory will  allow  me  to  do,  of  what  has  passed  in  the  two 
Conferences  I  have  held  with  the  new  French  Plenipoten- 
tiaries. 

In  that  of  Friday,  the  1 4th,  after  communicating  to  me 
the  arrets  of  the  Directory  appointing  them  to  succeed 
Messieurs  Le  Tourncur  and  Maret,  and  empowering  them 
to  continue  the  Negotiation  with  me,  M.  Treilhard  began 
by  making  the  strongest  assurances  of  the  sincere  desire 
entertained  by  the  Directory  for  peace.  He  observed, 
that,  if  this  desire  had  manifested  itself  so  strongly  at  a 
moment  when  the  two  great  authorities  of  the  country 
were  at  variance,  it  must  naturally  become  stronger  and 
be  exerted  with  more  effect  when  all  spirit  of  division  was 
suppressed,  and  when  the  Government  was  strengthened 
by  the  perfect  concord  which  now  reigns  between  all  its 
branches.     That  the  first  and  most  material  point  to  be 

VOL.  III.  2  0 


562  DIARIES   AND    CORRESPONDENCE.  [1797. 

ascertained  in  every  negotiation  was  the  extent  of  the 
full  powers  with  which  the  Negotiators  are  vested ;  that 
I  should  find  theirs  to  be  very  ample,  and  that  as  it  was 
necessary  to  the  success  of  our  discussions  that  mine 
should  be  equally  so,  they  had  it  in  command  to  present 
a  Note,  the  oliject  of  which  was  to  inquire  whether  I  was 
authorized  to  treat  on  the  principle  of  a  general  restitu- 
tion of  every  possession  remaining  in  His  Majesty's  hands, 
not  only  helonging  to  them,  hut  to  their  A  Hies ;  that  I 
was  not  unacquainted  with  their  laws  and  with  their 
treaties  ;  that  a  great  country  could  not  on  any  occasion 
act  in  contradiction  to  them,  and  that,  aware,  as  I  must 
be,  of  this,  I  could  not  but  expect  the  question  contained 
in  the  Note,  neither  could  I  consider  the  requisition  of  an 
explicit  answer  previous  to  entering  upon  the  negotiation, 
as  arising  from  any  other  motive  than  that  of  the  most 
perfect  wish  on  the  part  of  the  Directory  to  bring  it  to  a 
successful,  and  above  all,  to  a  speedy  conclusion. 

I  replied,  that,  if  after  what  I  heard,  I  could  allow  ray- 
self  to  hope  for  such  an  event  as  he  seemed  to  think  pro- 
bable, or  give  any  credit  to  the  pacific  dispositions  he 
announced  on  the  part  of  the  French  Government,  such 
hope  must  arise  solely  from  the  confidence  I  might  place 
in  his  assurances,  since  the  measure  itself  now  adopted  by 
the  Directory  was  certainly  calculated  to  make  a  directly 
contrary  impression  on  my  mind  ;  that  I  could  not  con- 
ceal from  him,  that,  far  from  expecting  such  a  question, 
it  being  now  put  surprised  me  beyond  measure  ;  and  still 
more  so,  when  from  his  comment  upon  it,  I  was  to  infer 
tliat  he  wished  me  to  consider  it  as  tending  to  promote  a 
speedy  pacification  ;  that  the  question  expressed  in  the 
Note  he  had  delivered  (for  he  had  given  it  to  me,  and  I 
had  read  it  over  as  he  ended  his  speech)  was  word  for 
word  the  same  as  that  put  to  me  by  his  predecessors,  so 
long  ago  as  the  14th  July  ;  that  on  the  15th,  I  had,  from 
my  own  authority,  given  an  answer,  and  that  this  answer 
I  confirmed  fully  and  distinctly,  by  order  of  my  Court, 
on  the  24th  July  ;  that  these  Notes  had  to  the  present 
liour  remained  unnoticed,  and  a  delay  of  two  months  had 
occurred ;  that  the  reasons  assigned  for  this  delay  were,  as 


1797.]  LISLE.  563 

I  was  repeatedly  told,  a  decided  resolution  on  the  part  of 
the  French  Government  to  listen  to  the  reasonable  propo- 
sals made  by  his  Majesty  ;  but  that  being  bound  by  their 
eno-ao-ements  with  the  Court  of  Madrid  and  the  Batavian 
Republic,  and  wishing  to  treat  their  Allies  with  due  con- 
sideration, they  were  desirous  of  consulting  with  them 
previous  to  any  positive  declaration,  and  obtaining  from 
them  a  voluntary  release  from  those  engagements  sufficient 
to  enable  the  French  Plenipotentiaries  here  to  admit  the 
basis  his  Majesty  had  established,  and  to  ground  on  it  all 
future  discussions  which  might  arise  in  the  course  of  the 
Negotiation ;  that,  if  he  had  read  over  the  papers  left  un- 
doubtedly in  his  possession  by  his  predecessors,  he  would 
find  what  I  stated  to  be  strictly  true,  and  that  of  course 
it  could  not  be  difficult  to  account  for  my  surprise,  when, 
after  being  told  that  he  and  his  colleagues  were  to  take 
up  the  Negotiation  precisely  where  they  found  it,  it  now 
became  evident  that  it  was  to  be  flung  back  to  the  very 
point  from  which  we  started,  and  flung  back  in  a  way 
which  seemed  to  threaten  a  conclusion  very  difierent  from 
that  he  foretold, 

I  shall  not  attempt  to  follow  M.  Bonnier  through  the 
very  elaborate  and  certainly  able  speech  he  made  in  reply, 
with  a  view  to  convince  me  that  the  inquiry  into  the  ex- 
tent of  my  full  powers  was  the  strongest  proof  the  Direc- 
tory could  furnish  of  their  pacific  intention,  and  the 
shortest  road  they  could  take  to  accomplish  the  desired 
end.  It  was  in  order  to  give  activity  to  the  Negotiation 
{adiver  was  his  word)  and  to  prevent  its  stagnating  that 
this  demand  was  made  so  specifically  ;  and  he  intimated 
to  me,  that  it  was  impossible  for  the  Directory  to  proceed 
till  a  full  and  satisfactory  answer  had  been  given  to  it.  I 
interrupted  him  here  by  saying  their  manner  of  acting 
appeared  to  me  calculated  to  decide  the  Negotiation  at 
once,  not  to  give  it  activity  ("  de  decider  d'abord,  et  non 
d'activer  la  Negociation"),  since  it  must  be  known  I  could 
not  have  powers  of  the  description  he  alluded  to  ;  and 
even  supposing  I  had,  the  admitting  it  would  be  in  fact 
neither  more  nor  less  than  a  complete  avowal  of  the  prin- 
ciple itself,  which,  once  agreed  on,  nothing  would  be  left 

2o2 


564  DIARIES   AND    CORRESPONDENCE.  [l797- 

to  negotiate  about.  M.  Treilhard  interposed  here,  by 
saying,  that  would  not  be  the  case ;  many  articles  would 
still  remain  to  he  proposed,  and  many  points  for  import- 
ant discussion.  I  said  every  word  I  heard  seemed  to 
present  fresh  difficulties.  Without  replying  to  me,  M. 
Bonnier  went  on  by  endeavouring  to  prove  that  the  avowal 
of  having  powers  to  a  certain  extent  did  not  imply  the 
necessity  of  exercising  them  ;  that  it  was  the  avowal  alone 
for  which  they  contended,  in  order  to  determine  at  once 
the  form  the  Negotiation  was  to  take  ;  that  the  Note  and 
the  time  prescribed  in  it  were  in  consequence  of  the 
most  positive  orders  from  the  Directory,  and  that  if  I 
drew  from  it  a  conclusion  different  from  the  assurances 
they  had  made  me  in  the  name  of  the  Directory,  I  did 
not  make  the  true  inference.  I  replied  that,  although  the 
prescribing  the  day  on  which  the  question  was  put  to  me 
as  the  term  within  which  I  was  to  give  my  answer  to  it 
was  both  a  very  unusual  and  abrupt  mode  of  proceeding, 
yet,  as  a  day  was  much  more  than  sufficient  for  the  pur- 
pose, I  should  forbear  makiog  any  particular  remark  on 
this  circumstance.  That,  as  to  the  inference  to  be  drawn 
from  the  positive  manner  in  which  they  appeared  to 
maintain  the  question  put  to  me,  I  really  could  not  make 
it  different  from  that  I  had  already  expressed ;  that  the 
reverting,  after  an  interval  of  two  months,  to  a  question 
already  answered,  and  which  question  involved  the  fate 
of  the  Negotiation,  certainly  could  not  be  considered  as 
wearing  a  very  conciliatory  appearance  ;  that  in  regard 
to  my  answer,  it  could  not  be  different  from  that  I  had 
given  before.  That  my  full  powers  which  were  in  their 
hands,  were  as  extensive  as  any  could  be,  and  it  did  not 
depend  on  me  to  give  them  more  or  less  latitude,  but  that 
in  fact  their  question  went  not  to  the  extent  of  mj  full 
poiuers,  but  to  require  of  me  to  deliver  the  nature  of  my 
instructions ;  and,  on  this  point,  they  certainly  would  for- 
give me,  if  I  did  not  speak  out  till  such  time  as  the  cir- 
cumstances of  the  Negotiation  called  upon  me  to  do  it. 

M.  Bonnier  strove  to  prove  to  me,  wliat  lie  had  before 
attempted,  that  the  claiming  a  right  of  inquiiy  into  the 
nature  of  the  discretionary  authority  confided  in  a  Mi- 


1797.]  LISLE.  665 

iiister  by  no  means  implied  an  intention  of  requiring 
of  him  to  act  up  to  its  utmost  limits.  I  observed,  if 
no  such  intention  existed,  why  institute  the  inquiry  1 
And  if  it  did  not  exist,  why  not  say  so  at  once  1  M. 
Bonnier  said,  "  What  we  now  ask  is  little  more  than  a 
matter  of  form ;  when  you  have  given  us  your  answer, 
we  shall  follow  it  up  by  another  step,  which  we  are  or- 
dered to  take."  I  said,  my  answer  was  given  two  months 
ago ;  that,  although  I  was  ready  to  give  it  them  again, 
and  in  writing,  as  one  to  their  Note  ;  yet,  as  it  could  not 
be  different,  I  did  not  see  why  they  should  not  proceed 
immediately  to  the  "  other  step,"  by  which  I  was  told  the 
question  was  to  be  followed  up.  "  It  would  be  prema- 
ture," said  M.  Bonnier.  "But,  in  drawing  up  your  an- 
swer, do  not  forget  the  force  of  the  arguments  I  have 
used  ;  or,  in  your  report  to  your  Court,  the  assurances 
we  have  given  of  the  earnest  wish  of  the  Directory  to 
terminate  the  war." 

I  replied,  that  I  still  must  maintain,  that,  from  the 
manner  in  which  they  thought  proper  to  define  full 
powers,  I  could  see  no  distinction  between  acknowledg- 
ing the  power  and  admitting  the  principle,  and  that  the 
question  itself  could  not  be  put  with  any  other  inten- 
tion ;  (your  Lordship  will  observe,  from  the  subsequent 
Notes  which  passed  between  us,  that  I  was  perfectly 
grounded  in  this  assertion ;)  that  in  my  reports  they  might 
be  fully  assured  I  should  act  up  to  that  conciliatory  spirit 
which,  from  the  earliest  period  of  the  Negotiation,  had 
always  decided  my  conduct  ;  and  that,  inauspicious  as 
appearances  were,  I  certainly  would  be  careful  not  to 
make  them  look  hostile.  At  the  word  "  hostile,"  both  the 
French  Plenipotentiaries  were  most  warm  in  their  pro- 
testations that  nothing  could  be  less  so  ;  that  the  idea 
of  the  Negotiation  breaking  off,  was  as  far  from  their 
thoughts  as  from  their  wishes.  I  said,  that,  although 
I  heard  this  with  pleasure,  yet  I  could  not  avoid  advert- 
ing to  facts,  and  that  when,  instead  of  an  answer,  and  the 
favourable  answer  which  I  had  every  reason  to  expect, 
I  received  only  the  repetition  of  a  demand  which  had 
been  already  satisfied  two  months  ago,  I  certainly  could 


566  DIARIES   A^'D   CORRESPONDENCE.  [17^7- 

not  think  this  a  good  omen.  If  it  did  not  bode  an  im- 
mediate rupture  of  the  Treaty,  it  assuredly  did  not  an- 
nounce a  near  and  successful  termination  of  it.  ]sL  Bon- 
nier persisted  I  was  mistaken  ;  that  the  business  would 
end  speedily  ;  that  speed  was  their  wish,  and  speed  with 
peace  for  its  object. 

On  breaking  up  our  Conference,  I  said,  that  I  took 
it  for  granted  we  should  meet  again  at  the  usual  hour 
on  Sunday.  M.  Bonnier  said,  that  it,  perhaps,  might 
not  he  necessanj,  hut  that  they  certainhi  would  let  me 
hnoiu  in  time ;  and  this  conveyed  to  me  the  first  idea 
of  what  has  since  taken  place. 

I  enclose  your  Lordship  the  Xote  A,  I  received  in  this 
conference  from  the  French  Plenipotentiaries,  and  the 
answer  B,  which  I  made  to  it  yesterday  morning. 

At  six  p.  Ji.  the  Note  C  was  transmitted  to  me,  to  which, 
at  8  p.  M.,  I  returned  the  answer  D  by  Mr.  Ross,  whom  I 
sent,  in  order  that  he  might  bring  me  the  passports  I 
asked  for.  But  at  a  quarter  before  10  p.m.,  U.  Derche, 
Secretary  of  the  French  Legation,  delivered  to  me  the 
paper  marked  E  ;  and  this  morning,  at  9  a.  m.,  replied 
by  the  note  F,  which  immediately  produced  that  mark- 
ed G. 

The  Notes  sent  by  the  French  Plenipotentiaries  speak 
for  themselves ;  and  it  is  unnecessary  to  enter  into  any 
reflections  on  them.  I  am  Avilling  to  hope  that  the  an- 
swers I  have  made  were  such  as  became  the  situation 
in  which  I  stand,  the  importance  of  the  cause  entrusted 
to  me,  and  the  steady,  but  temperate  conduct  which  the 
spirit  of  my  instructions  enjoins  me  to  hold. 

It  was  my  wish  to  give  every  opening  to  the  French 
Plenipotentiaries  to  7'ecal  the  violent  step  they  had  taken, 
and,  if  possil)le,  to  convince  them  of  its  extreme  impro- 
priety ;  and  it  was  with  this  \iew,  and  with  a  most 
anxious  desire  not  to  exclude  all  hope  of  the  restora- 
tion of  peace,  that  I  determined  on  suggesting  the  idea 
of  our  meeting  before  I  left  Lisle. 

This  meeting  took  place  to-day  at  noon.  I  opened 
it,  by  ol>serving,  that  the  several  Notes  they  had  re- 
ceived from  me  since  the  }»receding  evening,   liad  been 


1797. J  LISLE.  5G7 

too  expressive  of  the  surprise  I  felt  at  the  measure  the 
Directory  had  thought  proper  to  adopt,  to  make  it  ne- 
cessary for  me  to  enlarge  upon  it  in  this  Conference  ; 
and,  indeed,  mv  sole  motive  for  suggesting  that  it  might 
be  for  our  mutual  satisfaction  that  it  should  be  held, 
was  because  this  measure  appeared  to  me  to  be  in  such 
direct  contradiction  to  the  very  strong  assurances  I  had 
so  constantly  and  repeatedly  heard  from  them,  and  to 
the  pacific  intentions  with  which  they  declared  they  were 
sent;  that  it  was  my  earnest  wish  (before  I  considered 
their  conduct  as  forcing  me  to  a  step  which  must  so 
materially  affect  the  success  of  the  Xegotiation)  to  be 
perfectly  certain,  that  I  understood  clearly  and  distinctly 
the  precise  meaning  of  their  official  notes.  On  their  ad- 
mitting that  nothing  could  be  more  reasonable  than  that 
I  should,  on  so  important  a  point,  require  exjDlanation, 
or  more  satisfactoiy  to  them  to  give  it  me  (as  far  as  lay 
in  their  power),  I  proceeded  by  saying,  that  it  appear- 
ed to  me,  that  I  was  called  upon  to  produce  immediately 
my  full  powers,  or  rather,  my  instructions  ;  (for,  however 
diiferent  these  were  in  themselves,  in  their  demand  they 
seemed  constantly  blended  ;)  and  that,  if  either  I  refused 
to  consent  to  this;  or  if,  on  consenting  to  it,  it  was  found 
I  was  not  authorized  to  treat  on  the  principle  they  laid 
down.  I  was  then,  in  the  space  of  twenty-four  hours,  to 
leave  Lisle,  and  to  return  to  my  Court ;  and  that  I  was 
required  to  obtain  full  authority  to  admit  this  principle, 
if  it  was  wished  the  Negotiation  should  proceed.  This, 
I  said,  appeared  to  me  to  be  the  evident  sense  of  the 
K'otes,  and  I  begged  to  know  whether  I  had  mistaken  it 
or  not.  M.  Treilhard  said.  '•  You  have  understood  it 
exactly  ;  I  hope  you  equally  understand  the  intention 
of  the  French  Government,  which  is  to  accelerate  peace, 
by  removincr  every  obstacle  which  stands  in  its  wav." 

I  replied,  that  having  now  no  doubt  left  on  my  mind 
as  to  their  exact  meaning,  and  being  quite  sure  that  not- 
withstanding the  observation  thev  had  made  que  "'  J'avais 
saisi  le  veritable  Intention  de  hur  Note,''  it  would,  I  feared, 
be  a  very  unprofitable  employment  of  our  time  to  argue 
either  on  the  nature  of  the  principle  they  announced  as  a 


568  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [1797. 

sine  cfid  no7i,  to  even  a  preliminary  discussion,  or  on  the 
extreme  difficulty  of  reconciling  the  peremptory  demand 
with  which  they  opened  their  Mission,  to  the  pacific  pro- 
fessions that  accompanied  it ;  that  if  they  were  deter- 
mined to  persist  in  this  demand,  it  was  much  better  to  ~ 
avoid  all  useless  altercation,  and  nothing  in  that  case  re- 
mained for  me  to  do  but  to  ask  for  my  passports,  and  to 
signify  to  them  my  intention  of  leaving  France  at  an 
early  hour  the  next  morning. 

They  said  they  had  their  hands  tied  by  an  Arrete 
of  the  Directory,  and  were  bound  to  observe  the  con- 
duct they  had  followed,  l)y  the  most  positive  Orders ; 
and,  although  we  remained  together  some  time  longer, 
not  a  hint  dropped  from  them  expressive  of  a  wish 
that,  instead  of  going  myself  for  new  instructions,  I 
should  either  write  for  them  by  a  Messenger,  or  obtain 
them  by  sending  to  England  one  of  the  Gentlemen  who 
are  with  me.  I  endeavoured  by  every  indirect  means  to 
suggest  to  them  the  necessity  of  adopting  some  such  mo- 
dification if  they  meant  that  their  wishes  for  peace,  in 
the  expression  of  which  they  were  this  morning  more 
eager  than  ever,  should  meet  with  the  slightest  degree  of 
credit.  I  again  brought  to  their  recollection  that  I  was 
authorized  to  receive  any  proposal,  any  Contre-FrojH 
they  tendered  to  me  ;  but  that  they  must  be  aware  that 
it  was  not  possible  for  me  to  alter  the  orders  I  had  re- 
ceived, or  to  assume  an  authority  with  which  I  was  not 
invested.  I  dwelt  particularly  and  repeatedly  on  my 
being  competent  to  take  anything  they  said  for  reference  ; 
but  this  availed  nothing  except  drawing  from  M.  Treil- 
hard  a  remark,  that  the  full  powers  which  authorized  a 
Minister  to  hear  proposals,  were  widely  different  from 
those  which  would  enable  him  to  accede  to  them  ;  and 
that  it  was  such  full  powers  that  the  Directory  required 
me  to  solicit. 

An  easy  answer  presented  itself  to  this  mode  of  reason- 
ing ;  but  I  saw  no  advantage  to  be  derived  from  prolong- 
ing a  conversation  which,  after  the  positive  declaration 
they  had  made,  coidd  lead  to  notliing.  I  therefore  ended 
the  Conference  by  declaring  my  resolution  to  begin  my 


1797.]  LISLE.  569 

journey  at  a  very  early  hour  the  next  morning,  and  by 
saying  that  immediately  on  my  arrival  in  England,  I  would 
make  an  exact  report  of  everything  that  had  passed  since 
their  arrival. 

I  trust,  my  Lord,  I  shall  not  incur  censure  for  having 
declined  to  offer  in  distinct  terms  to  wait  at  Lisle  till  I 
could  know  His  Majesty's  pleasure  on  the  peremptory 
proposal  made  to  me.  But  when  I  considered  the  nature 
of  the  proposal  itself,  the  avowal  that  this  luould  not  he 
the  last,  nor  perhaps  the  most  humiliating  condition  re- 
quired of  us,  and  the  imperioiis  style  with  which  I  was 
enjoined  to  depart  in  twenty-four  hours,  it  was  utterly  im- 
possible for-  me  to  assume  a  language,  or  affect  a  manner, 
that  could  he  interpreted  into  solicitation  or  entreaty.  I 
felt  myself  called  upon  to  treat  the  whole  of  this  extra- 
ordinary proceeding  with  calmness  and  temper  ;  and,  not- 
withstanding the  deep  and  poignant  concern  I  must  feel 
at  an  event  which  I  fear  will  remove  all  probability  of  an 
immediate  pacification,  I  trust  that,  in  the  expression  of 
this  sentiment,  I  have  not  used  a  language  unbecoming  the 
character  with  which  I  am  invested,  or  the  greatness  of 
the  Sovereign  and  Country  whose  dignity  and  interests  it 
is  my  primary  duty  to  consult  and  to  maintain. 

I  have,  &c. 

(Signed)  Malmesbury. 

Calais,  18th  September,  10  p.m. 

P.  S. — In  consequence  of  what  passed  between  me  and 
the  French  Plenipotentiaries,  I  left  Lisle  at  a  very  early 
hour  this  morning,  and  expect  to  be  in  London  either 
to-morrow  or  on  Wednesday. 


INCLOSURES  REFERRED  TO  IN  LAST  DESPATCH. 

(A.) 

Les  Soussign^s  IVIinistres  Pl^nipotentiaires  de  la  Re- 
publique  Fran^aise  charges  de  traiter  de  la  Paix  avec 


570  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [l797. 

FAngleterre,  out  I'liomieur  d'assurer  le  Lord  jVIalmesbuiy, 
Miuistre  Pleiiipoteutiaire  de  Sa  Majeste  BritaiiLiique, 
que  le  Gouveruemeut  Frau(^^ais  veut  aussi  siucerement, 
aussi  forteuieut  que  jamais  uue  paix  d^siree  par  les  deux 
nations  ;  mais  ne  pouvant  conclure  qu'une  Paix  basee  sur 
les  Lois,  et  les  Traites  qui  tiennent  la  R^publique  Fran- 
chaise,  persuade  que  pour  parvenir  a  ce  but  il  faut  s'ex- 
pliquer  avec  une  entiere  Fran^aise,  et  voulant  imprinicr 
a  la  N^gociation  la  plus  grande  activite,  le  Directoire 
Ex6cutif  a  express6ment  charg6  les  Soussignes  de  demander 
au  Lord  j\lalniesbury  s'il  a  des  pouvoirs  suffisans  pour, 
dans  le  Trait6  qui  seroit  couclu,  restituer  a  la  Republique 
Fran^aise  et  a  ses  Alliees  toutes  les  possessions  qui  depuis 
le  commencement  de  la  guerre  ont  passe  dans  le  main 
des  Anglais. 

Les  Soussignds  sont  6galement  charges  par  le  Direc- 
toire Executif  de  demander  au  Lord  Malmesburj  une 
reponse  dans  le  jour,  ils  le  prient  d'agr^er,  &c. 

(Signe)         Treilhakd, 

BOxNNIER. 

Par  les  Ministres  P16nipotentiaires  ; 
Le  Secretaire  de  la  Legation, 

Deeche. 

Lillo,  Ic  29  Fnictiilor, 
All  5  (le  la  Republique. 


(B.) 

Le  Soussigne,  Ministre  P16uipotentiaire  de  Sa  Majesty 
Britannique,  revolt  avec  beaucoup  de  satisfaction  I'cxpres- 
sion  du  d^sir  sincere  pour  la  Paix  que  les  jMinistres  Pl^ni- 
potcntiaires  de  la  Republique  Fran^aise  lui  annonce  bier 
au  nom  de  leur  Gouvernement.  II  a  Tlionneur  de  les 
assurer  que  le  Roi  son  Maitre  est  anime  du  memo  desir, 
et  n'a  rien  de  plus  a  coeur  que  de  mettre  fin  aux  mal- 
hcurs  de  la  guerre.  Quant  a  la  question  que  les  Ministres 
Pleni})otentiaires  de  la  Republicpie  Fraiiyaisc  addressent 
au  Lord  Malmesburj  sur  I'etenduc  de  ses  pleins  pouvoirs, 
il  croit  deja  avoir  fait  k  ce  sujet  la  reponse  la  moius 


1797.]  LISLE.  571 

^^quivoque  dans  les  deux  Notes  qii'il  a  remises  a  leur 
pr^decesseurs  le  15  et  le  24  du  mois  de  Juillet.  Cepend- 
aut  pour  e^dter  toute  mesentendue,  il  renouvelle  la  de- 
claration qu'il  a  faite  hier,  savoir  qu'il  ne  peut  et  ne  doit 
traiter  que  d'apres  le  principe  des  compensations;  principe 
qui  a  ^te  formellement  reconnu  comme  Base  d'un  Trait6 
de  Paix  6galement  juste,  honorable,  et  avantageux  aux 
deux  Puissances. 

Le  Lord  Malmesburj  prie  les  Ministres,  &c. 

(Signe)         Malmesbury. 

A  Lille,  ce  Samedi, 

16  Septembie,  a  10  a.m.,  1797. 


(C.) 

Les  Ministres  Pl^nipotentiaires  de  la  Republique  Fran- 
^aise,  charges  de  traiter  de  la  Paix  avec  L'Angleterre,  ont 
I'honneur  d'accuser  la  reception  de  la  reponse  du  Lord 
]\Ialmesbury  a  la  Note  qui  lui  a  et^  remise  dans  la  Con- 
ference d'hier ;  il  resulte  de  cette  reponse,  et  des  deux 
Notes  des  15  et  29  Juillet  aux  queUes  eUe  le  refere,  que 
Le  Lord  j\Ialinesbury  n'a  pas  de  pouvoirs  pour  consentir  a 
la  restitution  de  toutes  les  possessions  que  Sa  Majeste  Bri- 
tannique  occupe,  soit  sur  la  Republique  Fran^aise,  soit  sur 
ses  Allies  ;  en  consequence,  en  r^iterant  au  Lord  ]\lalmes- 
bury  les  assurances  les  plus  positives  des  sentimens  du 
Gouveruement  Francaise,  les  Soussignes  lui  donnent  con- 
noissance  d'un  arrets  du  Directoire  Ex^cutif,  portant 
que  dans  le  cas  ou  Lord  Malmesbury  declarera  n'avoir  pas 
les  pouvoirs  n6cessaires  pour  consentir  a  toutes  les  resti- 
tutions que  les  loix  et  les  traites  qui  lient  la  Republique 
Francaise  rendent  indispensables,  il  aura  a  se  retirer  dans 
les  vingt-quatre  heures  vers  sa  Cour  pour  demander  les 
pouvoirs  suffisans.  Le  Lord  Malmesbury  ne  peut  voir 
dans  cette  determination  du  Directoire  Ex^cutif  qu\me 
intention  de  hater  I'instant  ou  les  Negociations  pour- 
ront  etre  suivies  avec  la  certitude  d'une  prompte  con- 
clusion. 


572  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [l797. 

Les  Ministres  Plenipotentiaires  de  la  R^publique  Fran- 
^aise  prieut,  &c. 

(Signe)  Treiliiard, 

Bo^'NIER. 

Par  les  Ministres  Plenipotentiaires  ; 
Le  Secretaire  General  de  la  Legation, 

Derche. 

Lille,  30  Fnictidor, 

An  5  de  la  Republique  Francaise. 


(D.) 

Le  Soussigne  Ministre  Plenipotentiaire  de  Sa  Majeste 
Britannique  a  Thonneur  d'accuser  la  reception  de  la  Note 
en  date  d'aujourd'hiii,  qui  lui  a  et6  remise  de  la  part  des 
Ministres  Plenipotentiaires  de  la  R^publique  Fran^aise. 

Quelque  chagrin  qu"il  eprouve  a  voir  s'^vanouir  I'espoir 
d'une  prompte  conciliation,  il  ne  pent  repondre  a  un 
refus  aussi  absolu  de  continuer  les  N^gociations  sur  les 
bases  qui  lui  paraissaient  d^ja  arretees  qu'en  demandant 
les  passeports  n^cessaires  pour  lui  et  pour  sa  suite,  afin 
de  pouvoir  dans  les  vingt-quatre  heures  se  mettre  en 
route,  et  se  rendre  de  suite  en  Angleterre. 

II  prie  les  Ministres  Plenipotentiaires  de  la  Republique 
FranCj^aise  d'agreer,  &c. 

(Signe)         Malmesbury. 

A  Lille,  ce  Samedi,  IG  Septra.,  a  8  p.m. 


(E.) 

Les  Soussignes  Ministres  Plenipotentiaires  de  la  Pi^- 
publique  Fran^aise,  charges  de  traiter  de  la  Paix  avec 
I'Angleterre,  ont  I'honneur  d'accuser  la  reception  de  la 
r^ponse  de  Lord  Malmesbury,  a  la  Note  qu'ils  lui  ont  ad- 
dresse  aujourd'hui,  ils  croient  devoir  lui  observer  qu'il  ne 
paroit  pas  en  avoir  saisi  la  veritable  intention,  qu'elle 
ne  contient  nullemcnt  un  refus  de  continuer  les  Neffocia- 
tions,  mais  au  contraire,  un  moyen  de  les  activer  et  de  les 
suivre  avec  un  succes  aussi  desirable  pour  les  deux  nations 
qu'il  seroit  flatteur  pour  les  Ministres  charges  de  negocier. 


1797.]  LISLE.  573 

Le  Gouvernement  Fran^ais,  est  se  eloigne  des  intentions 
que  semble  supposer  la  Note  du  Lord  Malmesbury,  que 
les  Ministres  Plenipotentiaires  de  la  Republique  Fran^^aise 
n'ont  re^u  aucun  ordre  de  quitter  le  lieu  des  Conferences 
apres  le  depart  du  Miuistre  Plenipotentiaire  de  Sa  Majeste 
Britannique. 

Les  Ministres  Plenipotentiaires,  &c. 

(Signe)  Treilhard, 

Bonnier, 
Par  les  Ministres  Plenipotentiaires; 

Le  Secretaire  General  de  la  Legation, 
(Signe)  Derche. 

Lille,  ce  30  Fructidor, 

An  5  de  la  Republique  Francaise. 


(F.) 

Le  Soussigne  Ministre  Pl^iipotentiaire  de  Sa  Majesty 
Britannique  a  I'honneur  d'accuser  la  reception  de  la  Note 
que  les  Alinistres  Plenipotentiaires  de  la  Republique 
Francaise  lui  ont  transmise  liier  au  soir,  par  les  mains  du 
Secretaire  General  de  leur  Legation,  il  croit  ne  pas  pou- 
voir  mieux  r^pondre  qu'en  leur  soumettant  a  son  tour  les 
observations  suivantes.  Qu'ayant  deja  fait,  par  sa  Note 
du  24°  Juillet,  et  d'apres  les  ordres  expres  de  sa  Cour, 
une  reponse  a  la  question  qui  vient  d'etre  si  inopinement 
renouvellee,  question  qui  ne  portant  en  apparence  que  sur 
les  limites  de  ses pleins  pouvoirs  (qui  sont  des  plus  amples) 
exige  en  efFet  la  declaration  de  toute  Fetendue  de  ses  in- 
structions ;  et  ne  pouvant  etre  autorise  en  aucun  cas, 
hormis  celui  de  la  rupture  des  Negociations  de  quitter  le 
lieu  de  sa  destination  sans  les  ordres  expres  du  Pioi  son 
Maitre,  il  n'a  pu  regarder  une  Note  portant  d'apres  un 
arr^te  du  Directoire  Executif,  "  qu'il  avait  a  se  retourner 
dans  les  vingt-quatre  heures  vers  sa  Cour,"  que  conune 
une  demarche  peu  propre  a  acceierer  la  confection  de  la 
Paix. 

Cependant  pour  r^pondre  aux  assurances  des  Ministres 
Plenipotentiaires  de  la  Republique  Francaise,  et  pour  t6- 


574  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [1797. 

moigner  son  d^sir  cle  saisir  bien  leur  veritable  intention, 
sur  laquelle  il  serait  tres  fach^  de  se  meprendre,  il 
croit  qu'il  pourrait  etre  plus  satisfaisant  de  se  reunir  en- 
core une  fois,  et  dans  le  cas  oii  les  Ministres  Plenipoten- 
tiaires  de  la  R^piiblique  Fran^aise  se  trouvassent  du 
meme  avis,  Le  Lord  Malmesbury,  leur  proposerait  que 
cette  reunion  eiit  lieu  de  meilleure  heure  que  de  coutume, 
aiin  qu'il  se  trouve  a  temps  de  prendre  le  parti  que 
pourra  exiger  le  resultat  de  leur  Conferences. 
II  prie  les  Ministres  P16nipotentiaires,  &c, 

(Signe)         Malmesbury. 

A  Lille,  ce  Dimanche, 
17  Septre.,  a  9  a.m.,  1797. 


(G.) 

Les  Soussignes  Ministres  P16iipotentiaires  de  la  Re- 
publique  Franc^aise,  charges  de  traiter  de  la  Paix  avec 
TAngieterre,  ont  I'honneur  daccuser  la  reception  de  la 
note  que  le  Ministre  P16nipotentiaire  de  Sa  Slajest^  Bri- 
tannique  leur  a  transraise  ce  matin,  en  se  referant  aux 
Notes  addressees  a  Lord  JVIalmesbury  le  29  et  30  Fructidor, 
et  notament  a  la  premiere  du  jour  d'hier,  ils  acceptent  la 
reunion  que  le  Lord  Malmesbury  paroit  desirer  et  lui 
proposent  I'heure  de  midi. 
lis  prient,  &c. 

(Signe)  Treilhard, 

Bonnier, 
Par  les  Ministres  Pl^nipotentiaires  ; 

Le  Secretaire  General  de  la  Legation, 
(Signe)         Derciie. 

Lille,  le  1  jour  comjilementaive, 

lie  ran  5  de  la  Kepublique  Fian^aise. 


LETTER    FROM    MR.    CANNING    TO    LORD    MALMESBURY. 

Spring  Gardens,  Sunday,  17th  Sept.,  1797. 

My  dear  Lord  Malmesbury, — I  keep  my  promise  in 
despatching  a  second  messenger  to  you,  though  I  have 


1797.]  LISLE.  575 

heard  enough  since  that  promise  was  made  to  make  me 
doubt  whether  his  arrival  at  Lisle  is  likel}^  to  be  of  that 
use  and  comfort  to  jou  which  I  intended,  or  if  he  is 
likely  to  arrive  at  Lisle  at  all.  I  send  him  nevertheless. 
I  have,  indeed,  detained  him  twelve  hours,  from  last  night 
till  this  morning,  in  expectation  of  hearing  from  you, — an 
expectation  founded  on  calculations  of  time  and  place, 
which  I  now  suppose  must  have  been  erroneous.  I  wish 
I  could  suppose  that  the  report  of  facts  which  set  me 
upon  making  these  calculations  was  erroneous  also. 

In  this  state  of  fearful  apprehensions  as  to  the  issue  of 
the  business  I  know  not  what  I  can  have  to  say  upon  the 
state  in  which  it  was  when  last  I  heard  from  you,  how- 
ever much  I  felt  I  had  to  say  upon  it  when  I  mentioned 
to  you,  on  Thursday,  my  intention  of  writing  again  in  a 
day  or  two.  It  is  a  moment  rather  for  looking  back  than 
looking  forward  ;  and  in  doing  so  I  find  (as  you,  I  am 
sure,  will  find  it)  a  great  consolation,  whatever  the  issue 
may  be,  in  seeing  that  no  step  has  been  omitted,  and 
(what  is  more)  no  step  hazarded  on  your  part  that  could 
reasonably  be  expected  to  lead  to  any  other  than  a  satis- 
factory conclusion.  It  is  a  consolation  too,  but  not  un- 
mixed with  feelings  of  a  less  pleasant  nature,  with  dis- 
appointment and  regret,  that  the  hopes  which  you  had 
entertained  yourself,  and  the  j)rospect  which  you  held 
out  to  us,  were  such  as  to  justify  the  idea  that  such  a 
conclusion  could  not  be  far  off,  and  that  it  will  not  have 
been  altered  by  any  event  that  liuman  foresight  or  pru- 
dence could  have  anticipated  and  prevented.  It  is  a 
consolation  to  me  to  know,  and  to  you  to  have  col- 
lected, as  I  think  you  must  have  done  from  two  letters, 
the  first  (if  it  were  legible)  by  the  last  conveyance  but 
one  ;  the  other,  written  in  part  to  supply  its  place  if  it 
should  have  missed  you,  and  to  enforce  its  meaning  if 
you  should  have  received  it,  that  in  one  quarter,'"'  at  least, 
no  obstacles  would-  have  arisen  to  the  progress  which  you 
had  apparently  marked  out  for  your  proceedings,  and 
that  it  required,  on  the  part  of  our  adversary,  not  only 
that  too  much  should  be  asked,  but  should  be  asked  in 


*  Alluding  to  Pitt. 


576  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [1797- 

such  a  manner,  as  that  much,  or  any  thing,  could  not 
possibly  be  granted  to  defeat  the  settled  purpose  of  your 
Mission. 

I  wait  with  more  impatience  than  I  can  describe  for 
the  first  news  from  you. 

Poor  Brooks  ! — The  sort  of  news  that  I  expect  reminds 
me  of  him  and  his  fate.  Two  more  unpleasant  events 
could  not  be  brought  together.  I  have  sent  the  Captain 
of  the  packet-boat  who  brought  me  the  intelligence  of 
the  misfortune,  Captain  Sutton,  a  very  decent,  sensible, 
good  man  (as  he  appears  to  be),  to  bring  over  (if  they 
can  be  found)  the  bodies  of  Brooks  and  his  companion, 
for  interment  at  Dover. 

Adieu,  &c.  G.  Caj^ning. 


Monday,  Sept.  18. — We  left  Lisle  at  half-past  six  a.m., 
and  arrived  at  Calais  at  a  quarter  past  six  p.m.  No 
adventure  on  the  road.  The  President  Bailleul  at  Calais, 
the  Commissary  of  the  Executive  Power,  and  all  our  old 
friends,  called  on  us.  Pegou,  the  Commissary,  said, — 
"  Quoique  nous  vous  voyons,  ]\lilord,  toujours  avec  plaisir, 
cependant  nous  regrettons  beaucoup  votre  retour,  bien 
que  nous  sommes  siirs  que  ce  n'est  pas  votive  faute." 
This  was  a  strong  expression  in  the  mouth  of  a  j'lerson 
who  is  immediately  employed  by  the  Directory.  Dis- 
patched the  messengers  on  to  England  in  a  neutral 
vessel. 

LETTER    FROM     LORD    MALMESBURY    TO    MR.    PITT. 

Calais,  Sept.  ISth,  1797. 

My  dear  Sir, — Although  I  shall  in  a  very  few  hours 
have  the  pleasure  of  seeing  you,  I  cannot  delay  till  then 
thanking  you  most  sincerely  for  your  two  last  very  com- 
fortable private  letters.'"  No  consolatiwi  could  ever  come 
at  a  moment  when  it  is  more  wanted.      I  almost  feel 

*  These  letters,  written  just  as  Pitt  heard  of  the  Revolution  at  Paris, 
reiterated  his  "unaltered  determination  "  to  ohtain  peace  if  possible,  and  to 
give  Lord  Malmeshury  every  facility  for  that  object. 


1797.]  LISLE.  577 

guilty  of  ingratitude  in  making  so  ill  a  return  to  it,  as 
that  of  leaving  Lisle  so  rapidly,  notwithstanding,  God 
knows,  my  will  by  no  means  consented  to  this  act.  I 
trust  this  will  appear  in  everything  I  have  said  and  done, 
and  that  nothing  has  been  omitted  on  my  part  to  obtain 
what  I  know  to  be  your  first  luish,  and  which  I  can 
safely  say  was  also  mine.  The  having  failed  in  it  hurts 
me  still  the  more,  as  we  infallibly  should  have  succeeded 
had  not  the  political  earthquake  of  the  4th  of  September 
taken  place.  But  success  being  impossible,  the  next  best 
comfort  is,  the  having  failed  without  discredit  to  myself ; 
and  if,  when  I  have  the  pleasure  to  meet  you,  I  should 
be  assured  of  it,  I  shall  feel  comfort  fully  equal  to  that 
in  which  I  began  this  letter,  by  thanking  you. 

I  am,  &c.  (Signed)         Malmesbury. 


LETTER    FROM    LORD   MALMESBURY    TO    MR.    CANNINa. 

Calais,  IMonday,  9  p.m.,  Sept.  18th,  1797. 

My  dear  Canning, — If  the  date  of  the  place  from 
whence  this  letter  is  written  surprises  you,  let  me  refer 
you  to  my  public  despatch  for  all  the  wholesale  reasons, 
and  desire  you  to  wait  for  the  more  detailed  one  till  to- 
morrow evening,  or  probably  Wednesday  morning,  when 
I  hope  we  shall  meet.  Your  private  letter  to  me  by 
Herslet,  although  on  an  uncomfortable  subject,  afforded 
me  very  great  consolation  ;  since  I  not  only  perceive  you 
are  prepared  for  my  return,  but  prepared  for  it  in  a  way 
which  totally  disperses  the  few  apprehensions  I  had,  lest 
my  conduct,  under  the  present  circumstances,  might  not 
in  every  respect  have  met  every  approbation. 

From  what  you  say,  I  am  now  certain  it  will ;  and  it 
gives  me  the  more  pleasure,  from  a  consciousness  that  I 
never  in  my  life  acted  more  rightly. 

I  am  too  fatigued  to  go  on  to-night  with  the  messen- 
gers, but  we  sail  to-morrow  at  nine  a.m.  ;  and  on  the 
whole,  I  had  rather  you  should  read  my  story  than  hear 
it  told  by  me.     I  have  much  to  say  to  you,  and  to  some 

VOL.  in.  2  p 


578  DIARIES  AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [l797. 

others,   but  I  should  not  like  to  hold   forth  before  a 
Cabinet. 

I  am  infinitely  obliged  to  you  (in  the  strict  sense  of 
the  word)  for  your  very  friendly  and  attentive  goodness 
in  endeavouring  to  replace  all  that  I  lost  by  the  cruel 
accident  which  has  happened  to  poor  Brooks.  Your 
principal  does  not  partake  of  this  sort  of  feeling ;  and  he 
has  as  few  of  this  species  of  human  wiperfections  as  any 
being  called  human  can  pretend  to. 

Let  us  hear  from  you  on  our  arrival.  I  shall  drive 
at  once  to  my  own  house,  and,  if  possible,  before  twelve 
o'clock  on  Wednesday. 

I  am,  &c.  (Signed)         Malmesbury. 


EXTRACT    OF    A    DESPATCH    FROM    LORD    MALMESBURY    TO 
LORD    GRENVILLE. 

Calais,  19tli  Sept.,  1797. 

There  can  be  little  doubt,  from  the  language  and  man- 
ner of  the  French  Plenipotentiaries,  that  there  is  a  fixed 
determination  on  the  part  of  the  French  Government  to 
continue  war  with  England  ;  and  that  if  in  any  part  of 
their  behaviour  or  conversation  with  me  there  appeared  a 
contrary  intention,  it  was  solely  with  a  view  to  avoid,  if 
possible,  that  the  odium  of  breaking  off  the  Ts^egotiation 
should  be  imputed  entirely  to  them.  They,  however, 
have  managed  this  with  so  very  little  aljilit}^ — what  they 
have  done  has  been  so  positive,  and  what  they  have  said 
so  vague — that  it  is  difficult  even  for  the  most  prejudiced 
minds  to  entertain  a  doubt  on  this  subject. 

The  whole  of  my  official  Correspondence  since  the  event 
of  the  4th  of  September  will,  1  trust,  have  so  far  pre- 
pared your  Lordship  for  what  has  now  happened,  that, 
although  it  may  very  justly  cause  concern,  it  will  not 
create  surprise.  Disposed  as  I  was  to  pay  attention  to 
whatever  I  heard  from  the  late  members  of  the  French 
Legation,  as  well  from  their  knowledge  of  their  own 
country,  as  from  my  having,  on  every  important  point, 
always   found  their  information  correct,   I  could  never 


1797.]  LISLE.  579 

allow  my  opinion  to  go  with  them  on  this  particular 
point ;  and  although  the  satisfaction  of  having  judged 
rightly  cannot,  on  an  occasion  like  this,  be  very  great, 
yet  the  not  having  misled  your  Lordship  diminishes,  to  a 
certain  degree,  the  regret  I  feel  on  having  failed  in  the 
great  end  of  my  Mission. 

It  would  be  vain  to  search  for  any  rational  motive  for 
such  a  conduct  as  the  Directory  have  thought  proper  to 
adopt,  or  to  endeavour  to  explain  on  what  grounds  they 
can  prefer  a  hazardous  and  unpromising  continuation  of 
a  war,  become  extremely  unpopular,  to  an  advantageous 
and  honourable  peace,  and  one  which,  I  am  confident, 
would  have  had  the  approbation  of  the  whole  French 
nation.  The  solution  of  this  difficulty  cannot  be  found 
either  in  the  internal  situation  of  France,  or  in  its  pre- 
sent relative  position  to  other  powers,  but  must  be  sought 
for  in  the  daring  and  inconsiderate  character  of  tlie  two 
governing  members  of  the  Directory,  Barras  and  Rewbell. 
The  success  which  has  attended  their  late  very  bold  un- 
dertaking appears  to  have  given  them  the  most  implicit 
confidence  in  their  own  abilities,  and  in  the  strength  of 
their  party  ;  and  they  never  at  any  time  appeared  to 
have  any  fixed  system,  or  to  look  forward  beyond  the 
circumstances  of  the  moment. 


LETTER  FROM  MR.  CANNmG  TO  MR.  LEGS. 

Spring  Gardens,  19tli  Sept.,  1797. 

Do  you  like  to  know  bad  knews  before  anybody  else, 
and  under  the  penalty  of  saying  nothing  about  it  for  a 
whole  day  1 

Know,  then,  that  I  have  this  morning  heard  that  Lord 
Malmesbury  and  his  companions  are  on  their  way  home. 
This  cursed  Revolution  has  baffled  our  good  intentions 
for  this  time.     It  cannot  finally  defeat  them. 


Tuesday,  Sept.  19. — I  gave  twenty  louis  to  the  sailors 
who  had  saved  the  boxes  when  Brooks  was  drowned.     No 

2  p  2 


580  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [1797. 

passports  were  asked  of  me  at  Calais,  or  given  me  on 
going  away.  I  sailed  at  half-past  ten  a.m.  ;  a  very 
smooth  but  rainy  passage.  Wrote  to  Pitt  and  Lord 
Greuville.  Got  to  Dover  at  half-past  four  ;  some  people, 
but  not  many,  on  the  shore.  Dined  at  Payne's,  and  slept 
at  Sittingbourne. 

Wednesday,  Sept.  20. — Got  to  London  at  one  a.m. 
Hammond  came  from  Canning's,  and  Canning  was  with 
me  immediately. — With  Lord  Grenville  at  his  own  house; 
he  expressed  great  satisfaction  with  all  that  had  been 
done  ;  confirmed  what  I  had  already  heard  from  Canning, 
that  secret  communication  had  been  made  of  the  arrtte 
of  the  Directory  for  sending  me  away  before  my  despatches 
arrived.  It  was  dated  Monday  the  11th.  This  came 
through  a  secret  channel  to  Pitt.  O'Drusse  (Grand 
Vicaire  to  the  Bishop  d'Autun)  also  here.  Both  of  them 
offer  peace,  on  our  terms,  for  money.  O'Drusse  (the  most 
reasonable)  says,  the  Bishop  can  undertake  (if  he  remains 
in  power)  to  get  us  one  of  the  Dutch  settlements,  (Ceylon, 
probably,)  for  200,000/.,  and  without  any  conditions 
oncreuses.  Lord  Grenville  says,  what  was  proposed  by 
the  other  was  Pitt's  secret,  and  I  should  probably  hear  it 
from  him.  Lord  Grenville  seemed  to  doubt  the  necessity 
of  any  further  Note  ;  I  strongly  for  it  ;  that  I  had  left 
the  business  unfinislied,  and  had  left  it  so  on  purpose  ; 
that  if  we  said  nothing,  it  would  be  giving  an  advantage 
to  our  enemies,  who  would  have  it  to  say,  we  had  left 
them  at  Lisle,  and  refused  to  go  on  with  a  negotiation 
they  never  intended  to  break  off.  Lord  Grenville  ad- 
mitted my  reasoning,  and  said  lie  would  mention  it  to  the 
Cabinet.  Duke  of  Portland  called  on  me ;  just  come 
from  the  King,  who  is  highly  satisfied  witli  me.  Duke 
himself  seems  glad  that  the  Negotiation  seems  likely  to 
be  at  an  end.  He  expressed  his  surprise  at  my  getting 
such  true  and  accurate  intelligence  at  Lisle.  (N.  B.  He 
was  not  in  the  secret  of  Pein  or  La  Garde."'')     Dined  with 

*  L.a  Garde  was  Secretary-General  to  the  Directory,  and  communicated 
the  discussions  and  correspondence  oi'  the  Cioveriimeut  to  Maret,  to  ^'liose 


party  he  belonged 


1797.]  LISLE.  581 

Canning  ;  note  from  Pitt,  who  had  lost  his  brother-in-law, 
Mr.  Elliot,  in  the  morning.  He  first  fixed  the  evening  for 
seeing  me,  then  put  me  off,  being  unwell.  Canning  and 
myself  agreed  as  to  the  great  advantage  of  making  a  ju- 
dicious answer  to  the  Note  sending  me  from  Lisle.  We 
wrote  on  this  subject  a  letter  to  Pitt.  It  appears  from 
Canning  that  Pitt's  informant  comes  from  Barras ;  that 
his  offers  are  like  those  of  Melvil  and  Potter  ;  any  terms 
we  choose  for  money,  but  this  asked  for  to  a  great 
amount.  It  would  seem  that  Rewbell  is  not  in  the  secret, 
and  a  degree  of  mystery  hangs  over  the  whole,  which  makes 
it  suspicious,  and  it  ought  in  my  mind  to  be  scouted. 


Thursday,  Sept.  21. — Breakfast  with  Canning ;  con- 
tinue our  conversation  of  the  preceding  night ;  at  eleven 
with  Pitt.  lie  confirms  all  I  heard  from  Canning  and 
Lord  Grenville  ;  read  me  the  arrHe  of  the  Directory  of 
the  11th;  stronger  than  the  terms  used  in  their  Note. 
The  words,  "  II  (Lord  M.)  aura  a  declarer  ses  pleins  pou- 
voirs  suffisants  (that  is  to  say,  sufficient  for  the  restitu- 
tion of  the  King's  conquests),  et  a  les  exhiber  d'abord ;  et 
en  cas  qu'il  ne  les  a  pas,  d'aller  en  Angleterre  dans  les 
vingt-quatre  heures  les  chercher  lui-meme."  Treilhard 
and  Bonnier  softened  this  ;  they  gave  "unjom^"  to  declare 
whether  I  had  these  full  powers  or  not,  and  twenty-four 
hours  pour  "  m'inviter  a  mon  retour  a  ma  Cour."  Pitt 
said  this  arrHe  was  communicated  to  him  on  the  15th 
by  a  person  he  was  not  at  liberty  to  name  (N.B.  It  was 
Boyd,  the  banker),  but  of  whose  authority  he  could  not 
doubt ;  and  he  then  told  me  all  I  had  heard  from  Can- 
ning. I  much  recommended  sending  such  an  answer  as 
would  strengthen  even  the  strong  ground  we  now  stood 
on  (if  war  was  to  be  the  event),  and,  if  these  secret  offers 
meant  anything,  to  afford  the  Directory  an  opening  to 
renew  the  Negotiation.  Dundas  came  in  with  some  old 
news  from  France  ;  then  Lord  Grenville  and  I  went  to 
the  office.  Dined  with  Charles  Ellis,  and  at  Lord  Gren- 
ville's  at  half-past  eight ;  he  had  sent  me  the  draft  of  the 
answer  he  meant  to  be  given  by  Canning,  with  a  request 


682  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [1797. 

that  I  should  alter  or  amend  it,  as  I  thought  proper.  I 
carried  it  back  to  him  ;  and  although  I  could  have 
wished  to  have  shortened  it  in  several  places,  yet  I  con- 
tented myself  with  proposing  only  a  few  verbal  correc- 
tions, and  altering  some  phrases  not  quite  French.  We 
talked  over  the  business,  and  its  probable  success  ;  he 
doubtful ;  cannot  comprehend  the  intention  of  the  new 
Government,  or  how  to  connect  the  secret  offers  (which 
evidently  appear  to  be  authorized)  with  the  strange  be- 
haviour of  the  Ministers  at  Lisle,  a  behaviour  which  they 
were  ordered  to  hold  by  the  Directory  ;  the  only  solution 
of  it  was,  that  it  was  meant  to  shew  what  they  dared  to 
do  if  we  refused  to  acquiesce  in  their  pecuniary  demands. 
I  observed  that  it  appeared  as  if  their  secret  offers  were 
made,  not  solklairement,  and  by  the  Avhole  firm,  but  onhf 
by  Barras  and  his  set ;  that  Rewbell  was  as  corrupt  as 
Barras,  and  still  more  violent,  and  that  war  was  his 
passion ;  that  it  was  possible  he  would  send  the  Dutch 
fleet  out,*  take  the  chance  of  their  success  ;  but,  if  they 
were  beat,  he  would  accuse  them  of  treachery,  and  avail 
himself  of  it  as  a  pretence  to  annex  Holland  to  the  French 
Republic ;  that  his  entire  conduct  relative  to  the  Dutch 
seemed  to  bear  a  reference  to  such  an  intention.  Lord 
Grenville  agreed  in  this  :  returned  to  George  Ellis's, 
where  Canning  was  ;  read  over  the  N'ote  ;  proposed  more 
alterations ;  consulted  with  those  who  were  with  me  at 
Lisle,  who  happened  all  to  be  at  G.  Ellis's,  and  all  agreed 
with  me  that  there  were  expressions  in  the  Note  which 
committed  the  late  Plenipotentiaries,  and  I  was  most 
anxious  on  every  account  to  avoid  this. 


Friday,  Sept.  22.  —  Private  business ;  at  lialf-past 
eleven  with  Pitt,  at  his  request ;  the  Note  altered  as  we 
wished.     He  said  I  was  quite  right  as  to  judging  it  was 

*  Lord  iMalincslnuy  was  riglit  iii  liis  conjecture.  Urged  by  repeated 
messages  from  the  Directory,  Admiral  Winter  put  to  sea  on  tlie  9tli  of 
October.  On  the  11th,  after  a  very  hard-fouo-lit  action  witli  the  British  fleet 
of  ('([ual  force,  under  Admiral  Duncan,  off  Cauiperdown,  he  was  captured 
with  almost  all  his  line-of-battle  ships. 


1707.]  LISLE.  583 

right  to  continue  the  Negotiation  ;  his  informant  said  it 
was  necessary  to  the  plan  of  the  Directory  ;  he  (Pitt) 
had  informed  him  of  our  intentions  ;  he  was  actually  gone 
to  Paris  to  prepare  the  way  for  proper  instructions  being 
sent  to  Lisle.     I  said  I  trusted  he  (Pitt)  had  been  very 
explicit  both  as  to  the  terms  and  the  price  ;  that  no  cure 
no  pay  should  be  stipulated — not  a  penny  to  be  given 
till  after  the  ratifications,  and  every  article  valued  and 
paid  for  ad  valorem ;  that  I  should  never  return  to  Lisle 
for  any  other  purpose  but  to  sign  a  Treaty;  and  that 
before  I  left  England  we  should  see  an  arrete  of  the  Di- 
rectory, fixing  the  terms  and  instructions  given  by  them 
to  Treilhard  and  Bonnier  in  consequence.     This  Pitt  said 
was  actually  done,  and  agreed  with  me  that  nothing  short 
of  it  was  worth  attending  to.     Lords  Grenville  and  Dun- 
das  came  :  I  went  to  the  office  ;  they  sent  for  me  in  half 
an  hour.     Lord  Grenville  then  read  to  me  the  Note  as  he 
meant  it  should  be  signed  by  me,  and  a  very  handsome 
despatch  with  which  he  accompanied  it,  strongly  expres- 
sive of  the  King's  approbation  ;    the  King,  he  said,  ap- 
proved the  measure.     When  alone  with  Pitt,  we  entered 
into  a  long  discourse   of  conjectures  and  speculations, 
which  turned  nearly  on  what  has  been  already  said  ;  ob- 
served the  great  advantage  of  keeping  opposition  in  the 
dark ;   Pitt  sanguine,  more  sanguine  than  I  am.     I  see 
doubts  and   dangers  in  all  this  secret  intelligence.     I 
admit  the  desire  of  getting  the  money,  but  I  question  the 
power  of  delivering  the  thing  purchased.     Barras  con- 
fessedly the  only  one  in  the  secret;  he  and  his  expect 
to  persuade  Rewbell,  and  to  prevail  on  him  to  take  his 
share  of  the  bribe.     Thence  my  apprehensions  ;    and  it 
clearly  appears  that  the  two  informants  (O'Drusse's  and 
Pitt's)  act  separately.     It  is  to  be  remarked  that  Hus- 
kisson  is  in  the  whole  secret ;  but  it  is  enjoined  that  he 
is  not  to  say  so  to  Pitt,  or  Pitt  to  him.      I  dislike  Hus- 
kisson,  both  as  to  his  principles  and  the  turn  of  his  un- 
derstanding ;  he  wants  to  make  money  by  this  peace, 
and  dares  not  apply  to  me  to  act  with  him  ;  the  whole 
secret  was  known  in  the  City  the  day  it  was  told  Pitt, 
and  acted  on  by  the  stock-jobbers ;  stoch-jobbimj  is  at 


584  DIARIES  AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [l797. 

the  hottom  of  the  vjhole,  I  fear.  The  Chancellor,  Lord 
Loughborough,  walked  home  with  me  from  Pitt's  :  he  not 
in  the  whole  secret,  and,  as  usual,  questioning,  and  appa- 
rently sanguine. — Electrified  for  my  arm ;  dinner  at  G. 
Ellis's ;  concerted  means  to  get  at  Pein. 


Saturday,  23. — Breakfast  early  with  Canning  ;  AVyck 
the  messenger  who  goes  to  Lisle  ;  I  desire  him  to  ask 
Cunningham  whether  our  friend  has  got  the  seal  ready 
I  desired  him  to  get  for  me  ;  this  will  make  Pein  under- 
stand what  I  mean,  and  we  shall  hear  from  him ;  Wyck 
clever.  At  half-past  nine  set  out  for  Park  Place ;  got 
there  by  two  ;  found  all  well. 


DESPATCH    FROM    LORD    GRENVILLE    TO    LORD    MALMESBURY. 

Downing  Street,  22nd  Sept.,  1797. 

My  Lord, — I  have  had  the  honour  of  laying  l^efore 
His  Majesty  your  Lordship's  despatches,  in  which  you 
have  given  the  account  of  the  extraordinary  conduct  of 
the  new  Plenipotentiaries  of  the  French  Republic,  and 
of  the  answers  given  by  your  Lordship  to  their  unjustifi- 
able demand,  and  of  your  consequent  departure  from 
Lisle. 

I  have  the  satisfaction  to  be  able  to  assure  your  Lord- 
ship, that  His  Majesty  has  been  pleased  to  express  his 
entire  approbation  of  your  Lordship's  judicious  and  tem- 
perate conduct  in  the  unprecedented  situation  in  which 
you  were  placed,  and  of  the  manner  in  which  you  ex- 
pressed yourself,  both  in  your  official  Notes,  in  your 
conversations  with  the  French  Plenipotentiaries,  as  well 
as  of  the  manner  in  which  you  have  conducted  yourself 
during  the  whole  course  of  the  Negotiation,  which  seems 
too  likely  to  be  now  brought  to  its  close. 

As  it  appears,  however,  that  some  further  answer  will 
probably  jje  expected  by  the  French  Government  to  their 


1797.]  LISLE.  585 

late  extraordinary  demand,  notwithstanding  the  full  and 
conclusive  reply  given  in  your  Lordship's  Notes,  I  have 
received  the  King's  commands  to  transmit  to  you  the 
enclosed  draft  of  a  Note,  which  it  is  his  Majesty's  pleasure 
that  your  Lordship  should  transmit  to  the  Plenipoten- 
tiaries at  Lisle,  by  a  messenger,  whom  I  shall  direct  to  be 
in  readiness  for  that  purpose. 

I  have,  &c^  (Signed)         Grexville. 


NOTE    TO    THE    FRENCH    PLENIPOTENTIARIES. 

A  Londres,  ce  23e  Septembre,  1797. 

Le  Soussigne,  Ministre  Plenipotentiaire  de  Sa  ]\Iajest6 
Britannique,  a  rendu  a  sa  Cour  un  compte  fidele  des 
circonstances  qui  ont  interrompu  I'exercise  des  fonctions 
importantes  qu'il  avait  plu  au  Pioi  son  maitre  de  lui 
confier.  Sa  Majeste  a  daigne  honorer  de  son  approba- 
tion entiere  les  reponses  que  le  Soussigne  a  deja  faites  a 
la  demande  extraordinaire  et  inattendue  que  les  nouveaux 
Plenipotentiaires  de  la  Republique  Fran^aise  lui  ont 
adressee  des  leurs  arrivee  a  Lille.  Mais  pour  ne  laisser 
aucun  doute  sur  la  nature  et  I'objet  de  cette  demande, 
le  Soussigne  a  re^u  I'ordre  expres  de  declarer  au  nom  de 
sa  Cour. 

1°-  Que  les  pleins  pouvoirs  que  Sa  ]\Iajeste  a  juge  a 
propos  de  lui  accorder  pour  traiter  et  conclure  la  Paix, 
sont  couQus  et  rediges  dans  la  forme  la  plus  ample  autori- 
sant  le  Soussigne  pleinement  et  sans  reserve  a  signer  tout 
Traite  de  quelle  nature  et  sous  quelles  conditions  que 
ce  fut,  dont  il  pourroit  convenir  avec  les  Plenipotentiaires 
Fran(;ais,  en  se  conformant  toujours  aux  instructions  qu'il 
auroit  revues  de  la  part  de  sa  Cour. 

2"-  Que  ces  pleins  pouvoirs  ont  ete  refus  et  reconnus 
pour  suffisans,  tant  par  les  Plenipotentiaires  avec  lesquels 
il  a  traite  jusqu'  ici,  que  par  le  Directoire  lui-meme.  Et 
qu'il  ne  pent  en  consequence  y  avoir  lieu  a  aucune  nou- 
velle  discussion  sur  cette  objet  deja  termine  par  un 
commun  accord,  et  qui  d'ailleurs  n'est  susceptible  d'au- 


58G  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPOiNDENCE.  [l797. 

cuiie  difficulte  ou  doute  quelconque,  tout  ce  qui  a  ete  fait 
a  cet  egard  etaut  entieremeut  couforme  aux  usages  etablis 
depuis  loug-tems,  et  reconnus  par  toutes  les  nations  de 
TEurope. 

3°-  Que  la  demande  du  Directoire  se  rapporte  done 
r^ellement  non  pas  aux  pleins  pouvoirs  du  Soussigne,  mais 
a  I'etendue  de  ses  instructions,  dont  le  Directoire  ne 
pouvoit  en  aucun  cas  lui  demander  la  communication, 
qu'en  autant  que  le  Soussigne  pourroit  la  juger  utile  au 
succes  de  la  Negociation.  Et  que  bien  loin  d'etre  dans 
le  cas  de  donner  des  nouvelles  explications  quelconques, 
le  Soussigne  avoit  tout  lieu  de  croire,  d'apres  les  com- 
munications reiterees  qui  lui  ont  ete  faites  par  les  Ple- 
nipotentiaires  Fran^ais,  qu'il  recevroit  incessamment  un 
contre-projet  de  nature  a  faciliter  la  marclie  ulterieure  de 
la  Negociation  suspendue  depuis  plus  de  deux  mois. 

4"-  Que  la  Cour  de  Londres  a  du  etre  bien  plus  etonnee 
encore  du  contenu  de  la  nouvelle  demande  faite  au  Sous- 
signe, cette  demande  portant  sur  des  conditions  preli- 
minaires  qui  avoient  deja  ete  rejetees  des  le  commence- 
ment de  la  Negociation,  et  dont  les  Pl^nipotentiaires 
Fran^ais  s'etaient  en  effet  departis  par  I'annonce  formelle 
des  mesures  dont  le  Directoire  s'occupoit  pour  s'arranger 
en  consequence  avec  ses  Allies. 

5°'  Que  ce  n'est  done  qu'en  consentant  a  traitor  sur  la 
base  du  projet  detaille  avec  tant  de  franchise,  que  le 
Soussigne  a  remis  des  les  premiers  jours  de  son  sejour  a 
Lille,  ou  bien  en  lui  faisant  passer  un  contre-projet  d'unc 
nature  conciliatoire,  conformement  aux  assurances  qu'il 
en  a  revues  depuis  si  long-terns  qu'il  paroit  possible  de 
continuer  la  Negociatiou,  dont  les  Plenipotentiaires  Font 
si  fortement  assure  que  le  Directoire  ne  desiroit  pas  la 
rupture  malgre  la  demarche  adoptee  a  son  egard — de- 
marche que  le  Soussigne  s'abstient  de  qualifier,  mais  qui 
n'a  pu  manciuer  de  produire  ici  I'impressiou  des  disposi- 
tions les  moins  pacitiques  de  la  part  du  Directoire. 

Le  Soussigne  est  charge  d'aj outer  que  Sa  Majeste  verroit 
avec  un  vrai  regret  la  certitude  de  ces  dispositions  si  peu 
compatibles  avec  le  desir  ardent  qui  I'anime  de  pouvoir 
rendrc  la  paix  aux  deux  nations.      Mais   que  si,  sans 


1797.]  LISLE.  587 

y  avoir  contribue  de  sa  part,  Sa  Majesty  doit  encore  se 
trouver  dans  la  necessite  de  continuer  la  guerre,  elle  se 
conduira  dans  toutes  les  occasions  d'apres  les  memes 
principes,  en  faisant  tout  ce  qui  pent  dependre  d'elle 
pour  le  retablissement  de  la  paix,  mais  en  persistant  tou- 
jours  a  defendre,  avec  une  fermete  inebranlable  la  dignite 
de  sa  Couronne,  et  les  interets  de  son  Peuple. 

Le  Ministre  Plenipotentiaire  de  Sa  Majeste  Britaunique 
prie  les  Miuistres  Plenipotentiaires,  &c. 

(Signe)         Malmesbury. 


REPLIES    OF    THE    FRENCH    PLENirOTENTIARIES. 

Lille,  le  4  Vendemiaire,  an  5  de  la  RepuLlique. 

Les  Ministres  Plenipotentiaires  de  la  Republique  Fran- 
liaise,  charges  de  traiter  de  la  paix  avec  I'Angieterre,  ont 
re9U  la  note  datee  de  Londres,  qui  leur  a  ete  apportee 
par  un  Courier  Extraordinaire  de  la  part  de  Lord 
Malmesbury.  lis  ont  I'honneur  de  lui  repondre  que  leur 
Note  de  29  Fructidor,  a  laquelle  ils  se  referent,  presentoit 
la  double  assurance  de  I'intention  formelle  du  Gouverne- 
ment  Fran^ais  de  continuer  les  Negociations  de  la  Paix, 
et  de  sa  determination  constante  de  n'acceder  qu'  a  des 
conventions  compatibles  avec  la  dignite  de  la  Republique 
FranCjiaise ;  une  paix  dont  la  base  seroit  contraire  aux 
loix,  ou  aux  engagemens  pris  avec  les  Alli^es  ne  sauroit 
remplir  I'espoir  de  la  nation  ;  c'est  un  point  dont  le  Di- 
rectoire  Ex^cutif  ne  s'est  jamais  departi,  et  sur  lequel  ses 
sentimens  n'ont  jamais  varie. 

Le  Lord  Malmesbury  ayant  formellement  declare  dans 
ses  Notes  du  15  et  29  Juillet,  et,  en  dernier  lieu,  de 
17  Septembre  qu'il  n'avoit  pas  les  pouvoirs  n^cessaires 
pour  restituer  les  possessions  HoUandises  et  Espagnoles 
occupees  pour  les  troupes  de  Sa  ]\Iajeste  Britannique, 
le  Directoire  Ex^cutif  a  donn^  une  nouvelle  preuve  de 
sa  loyale  franchise,  et  de  son  d(^sir  d'acc^l^rer  la  conclu- 
sion, en  invitant  le  Lord  Malmesbury  k  se  retirer  vers  sa 
Cour  pour  obtenir  des  autorisations,  sans  lesquelles  il  ne 


588  DIARIES  AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [l797. 

pent  pas  conclure  ;  demarche  n^cessitee  par  les  declara- 
tions dii  Ministre  Pleuipotentiaire  de  Sa  Majesty  Britan- 
uique,  et  sur  laquelle  il  est  impossible  de  faire  prendre 
le  change  a  tout  esprit  juste. 

Les  Ministres,  &c.  (Signe)         Treilhard, 

Bo^^KIER. 

Par  les  Ministres  Plenipotentiaires ; 
Le  Secretaire  General  de  la  Legation, 

(Sign^)         Derciie. 


Lille,  le  10  Vendemiaire,  an  6  de  la  Republique  Fran^aise. 

Les  Ministres  Plenipotentiaires  de  la  Republique  Fran- 
<;;aise,  charge  de  traiter  de  la  paix  avec  I'Angleterre,  ont 
I'honneur  de  faire  savoir  au  Lord  JMalmesburj,  qu'ajant 
adresse  copie  de  sa  derniere  Note  a  leur  Gouvernement,  le 
Directoire  Executif  leur  a  prescrit  de  declarer  en  son 
nom,  qu  il  n'a  pas  cesse  de  vouloir  la  paix,  qu'il  a  donne 
une  preuve  non  equivoque  du  sentiment  qui  Tanime, 
lorsqu'il  a  ordonne  aux  Ministres  Plenipotentiaires  de 
la  Republique  de  redamer  une  explication  categorique 
sur  les  pouvoirs  donnes  par  le  Gouvernement  Anglais  a 
son  Ministre  Pienipotentiaire  ;  que  cette  demande  n'avoit 
et  ne  pouvoit  avoir  d'autre  objet  que  d'amener  enfin  la 
Negociation  a  une  issue  prompte  et  heureuse. 

Que  I'ordre  donnee  aux  Ministres  Plenipotentiaires  de 
la  Republique  de  rester  at  Lille,  apres  le  depart  du  Lord 
Malmesbury,  est  une  nouvclle  preuve  que  le  Directoire 
avoit  desire  et  prevu  son  retour  avec  des  pouvoirs  qui  ne 
seroient  pas  illusoires  et  dont  la  limitation  ne  seroit  plus 
un  prctcxte  pour  retarder  la  conclusion  de  la  paix. 

(^ue  telles  sont  toujours  les  intentions  et  les  espe- 
rances  du  Directoire  Executif  qui  cnjoint  aux  Ministres 
Plenipotentiaires  de  la  Republique  de  ne  quitter  Lille 
qu'au  moment  oh.  I'absence  prolongee  du  Negociateur  ne 
laissera  plus  de  doute  sur  I'intention  de  Sa  Majeste 
Britannique  de  rompre  toute  Xegociation. 

(iu'cn  consequence  le  vingt-cinq  Vendemiaire  courant 
(IG    Octobre,    vieux   style)    est  le    terme   iixc   pour  le 


1797.]  LISLE.  589 

rappel  des  Ministres  Plenipotentiaires  de  la  Republique 
Francaise,  dans  le  cas  oii  a  cette  ^poque  le  Ministre 
Plenipoteutiaire  de  Sa  Majesty  Britaunique  ne  seroit  pas 
rendu  a  Lille. 

Le  Directoire  Executif  ^prouvera  un  vif  regret  qu'un 
rapprochement  deja  entame  deux  fois,  n'ait  pu  ^tre  con- 
somme, mais  sa  conscience  et  I'Europe  entiere  lui  ren- 
dront  ce  t6noignage,  que  le  Gouvernement  Anglais  seul 
aura  fliit  peser  le  fleau  de  la  guerre  sur  les  deux  nations. 
Les  Ministres,  &c.  (Sign6)         Treilhard, 

BOXICIER. 

Par  les  ]\Iinistres  Plenipotentiaires  ; 
Le  Secretaire  G6ieral  de  la  Legation, 
(Signe)         Derche, 


REPLY    TO    THE    FRE:»[CH    PLENirOTENTIARIES. 

A  LonJres,  ce  5  Octobre,  1797. 

Le  Soussign6  ayant  remis  au  JMinistre  du  Roi  la  Note 
des  Plenipotentiaires  de  la  Ft6pu1)lique  Francaise,  a  I'ordre 
de  leur  observer  —  Que  ce  ii'est  qu'en  consequence  de 
I'injonction  formelle  et  positive  du  Directoire  qu'il  a 
quitte  Lille.  Que  ses  pouvoirs  n'etoient  ni  illusoires  ni 
limites,  et  que  rien  n'a  6t6  omis  de  sa  part  pour  acc^lerer 
la  N^gociation,  qui  n'a  H6  retard^e  que  par  les  delais  du 
Directoire,  et  qui  n'est  aujourd'hui  suspendue  que  par  son 
acte. 

Pour  ce  qui  regarde  la  reprise  des  Conferences,  le 
Soussign6  ne  pent  que  se  referer  a  sa  derniere  Xote  on  il 
a  designe  avec  franchise  et  precision  les  seul  moyens  qui 
restent  pour  continuer  la  Negociation,  observant  en  meme 
terns  que  le  Roi  ne  pourroit  plus  traiter  en  pais  Ennemi, 
sans  avoir  la  certitude  de  voir  respecter  pour  I'avenir, 
dans  la  personne  de  son  Plenipoteutiaire,  les  usages  ^ta- 
blis  parmi  toutes  les  nations  civiliz^es  a  I'egard  des  Mi- 
nistres publics,  et  principalement  de  ceux  charges  de 
travailler  au  retablissement  de  la  Paix. 

Le  Lord  Malmesbury  prie,  &e. 

(Signe)         Malmesbury. 


590  DIARIES   AND    CORRESPONDENCE.  [l797. 

Park  Place,  Sunday,  Sept.  24. — Wyudham  here.  "Walk 
with  him  ;  tell  him  the  outlines  of  the  Negotiation.  He 
adverse  to  the  measure  from  the  beginning,  but  very  fair 
and  reasonable  in  his  opposition  to  it.  He  now  croaks, 
and  thinks  France  must  be  master  of  Europe.  He  stated 
his  reasons,  and  several  are  good  ones.  I  oppose  to  them, 
first,  the  probability  of  Buonaparte's  erecting  Italy  into 
a  kingdom  for  himself  ;  secondly,  a  civil  war  in  France  ; 
thirdly,  the  renewal  of  that  with  the  Emperor.  In  talking 
of  Pitt,  he  agreed  he  was  not  sufficiently  acquainted  with 
mankind  ;  had  not  mixed  enough  in  the  world  ;  "  went  on 
by  concessions,  and  lived  in  office  by  tiding  it  over,''  was 
Wyndham's  expression.  He  doubted  much  whether  his 
friends  would  stick  by  him,  if  a  popular  cry  was  raised 
against  him ;  and  whether  most  of  them  who  support  him 
in  the  House  of  Commons  would  not  leave  him  if  he 
was  attacked  by  a  more  serious  and  active  Opposition. 
He  said,  on  my  suggestion,  that  quizzing  was  made  a  vile 
part  of  the  present  system,  and  that  when  anything  could 
be  quizzed  away,  it  was  considered  as  completely  got  rid 
of.  Of  Lord  Grenville  he  said,  he  was  well  informed,  and 
high  minded  ;  more  ideas  of  national  dignity  than  Pitt, 
but  so  reserved  and  caclie,  that  it  was  impossible  for  him 
to  be  a  great  Minister.  He  hieiu  nobodij,  and  luas  hnown 
by  nobody.  Of  the  Government  in  general,  he  said  it  was 
a  Scotch  one.  Dundas  ruled  despotically.  Sir  G.  Elliot 
had  been  sacrificed  by  him  ;  and  from  personal  dislike 
to  him,  the  worst  of  all  measures  had  been  adopted,  viz., 
the  abandoning  of  Corsica ; "''  and  with  it  the  loss  of  Italy. 
Wyndham  is  uncommonly  and  classically  clever,  but  has 
the  very  fault  he  attributes  to  Pitt — no  real  knowledge 
of  mankind,  not  from  not  living  in  the  world,  but  from 
not  being  endowed  with  those  qualities  (inferior  in  them- 
selves) which  would  enable  him  to  judge  of  their  real 
designs  and  character.  From  this  reason  he  was  the  dupe 
of  every  emigrant  who  called  on  him  ;  and  he  still  persists 
in  the  idea  of  the  Belliim  inteniecinmn,  and  the  invading 

*  In  October,  179(5,  the  British  Cal)inct  ordered  Corsica  to  l)e  evacuated, 
in  opposition  to  the  remonstrances  of  Sir  Gilbert  Elliot,  the  Viceroy,  and 
Commodore  Nelson,  who  had  undertaken  to  defend  it. 


1797.]  LISLE.  591 

of  France.  Burke  spoilt  him,  and  liis  genius  still  rules 
him.  He  is  withal  the  most  honourable  and  most  sensil)le 
of  the  Cabinet,  and  with  many  very  great  and  amiable 
private  virtues — a  first-rate  scholar,  and  quite  of  the 
right  school — not  like  the  Etonians.* 


Wednesday,  Sept.  27. — Left  Park  Place  half-past  six  ; 
in  London  a  quarter  past  ten  ;  breakfast  with  Canning. 
Arthur  Paget  called  on  me.  Saw  the  Duke  of  York  for 
a  moment  at  his  own  house.  Levee  ;  all  of  us  except  G. 
Ellis  presented.  At  three,  Pitt  came  ;  he,  to  my  great 
surprise,  told  me,  Wyck  was  returned,  and  with  such  an 
answer  as  left  little  chance  of  any  good  coming  from  the 
interposition  of  their  seci^et  agents  ;  one  of  them  was  de- 
tained at  Dover  a  day,  in  endeavouring  to  cross  to  Calais. 
Pitt  in  spirits  ;  had  provided  supplies  for  two  more  cam- 
paigns. Talk  of  publishing  extracts  of  my  correspon- 
dence :  not  quite  determined  as  to  the  manner.  Intends 
now  to  propose  a  separate  Peace  to  Spain — this  suggested 
from  Lisbon,  by  Pinto.  Lord  Grenville  informed  me  soon 
after  of  the  return  of  Wyck.  Went  with  him  to  his  house, 
to  see  the  answer ;  ill  drawn  up,  and  impertinent.  He 
seemed  to  think  some  immediate  publication  proper. 
Various  conversations  with  most  of  the  Cabinet,  on  this 
and  other  points.  In  the  closet  with  the  King ;  ex- 
tremely gracious  ;  highly  satisfied  ;  most  right  in  his 
opinions,  and  dignified  in  his  sentiments.  Dined  tete-a- 
tete  with  Canning ;  conversation  about  himself.  Pitt 
has  made  him  an  offer  of  Clerk  of  the  Alienations,  worth 
700/.  a  year,  and  a  sinecure.  Canning  more  out  of  sorts 
with  Lord  Grenville  than  ever  ;  talks  of  taking  a  place  at 
the  India  Board  ;  I  dissuade  him.  Conversation  on  the 
Ministry,  He  agrees  with  Wyndham,  Dundas  is  more 
active  and  more  diligent  than  any  other,  but  also  selfish 

*  The  Etonians  were  looked  upon  as  better  versed  in  classical  poetry  than 
prose,  philosophy,  and  grammar,  and  yet  no  public  nursery  of  learning  has 
ever  produced  so  many  accomplished  and  great  men  as  Eton.  If  sJie  does 
not  foster  accurate  Grecians,  she  produces  neither  purists  nor  pedants,  and 
sends  forth  her  manly  children  not  the  less  ready  to  wrestle  with  tlie  present 
century  because  versed  in  the  lore  of  two  thousand  years  ago. 


592  DIARIES  AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [1797. 

and  Scotch.  Pillage  and  Patronage^pillage  bj  conquest, 
patronage  at  home.  Lord  Grenville  hates  him,  and  vice 
versa.  Lord  Grenville  seems  to  have  made  up  his  mind  to 
retreat.  Canning  thinks  he  must  resign  — I  do  not. 
Wyck  allowed  to  go  no  farther  than  Calais  ;  his  letters 
sent  on  to  Lille  by  an  express.  He  brought  several  for 
me.     Mrs.  Elliot  coming. 


Thursday,  Sept.  28. — Wrote  private  letters  till  half- 
past  ten.  Duke  of  York  breakfasted  with  me  ;  read  him 
my  correspondence ;  he  very  kind  and  most  friendly  ; 
stayed  till  half-past  twelve.  Drawing-room  ;  Queen  very 
gracious — contre  Vusage.  Death  of  Hoche.  Vague  re- 
ports of  insurrections  in  the  southern  departments.  Spoke 
to  Lord  Grenville  about  Ross,  Dine  with  Pitt  ;  small 
dinner  —  pleasant ;  Lords  Chatham  and  Mornington, 
Wyndham  and  Canning ;  little  or  no  politics.  Cabinet 
after  dinner.  Obtain  Barnier's '"'  pension  for  Ross,  200/, 
a  year.     Return  home  and  write. 


Friday,  Sept.  29. — Lord  Grenville  sends  for  my  corre- 
spondence, to  select  extracts  proper  for  publication.  I 
wish  that  only  what  passed  since  the  arrival  of  Treilhard 
and  Bonnier  at  Lisle  should  be  pul)lislied  noiu,  and  the  first 
part  of  the  negotiation,  which  promised  so  favourably, 
kept  till  the  meeting  of  Parliament.  I  also  was  very 
anxious  not  to  publish  anything  which  might  bring  Le 
Tourneur,t  ]\Laret,  or  Colchen  into  a  scrape.  Lord  Gren- 
ville not  absolutely  inattentive  to  this,  but  bent  on  not 
weakening  our  case,  as  he  termed  it,  on  any  consideration. 
I  think  our  case  too  strong  to  need  such  an  unlimited 
publication  ;  I  also  think,  that  if  we  should  by  it  draw 
down  any  punishment  on  the  heads  of  the  first  Pleni- 
potentiaries, besides  the  cruelty  of  such  a  conduct,  it  will, 

*  Biiinior  was  Lord  MaliiKshui y's  old  Secretary  during  his  Missions  to 
Bi'ilin  and  Russia,  and  liad  lately  died. 

t  It  is  necessary  to  observe,  for  the  sake  of  historical  accuracy,  that  Le 
Touineur  had  hoon  kept  throughout  in  ignorance  of  the  secret  Negotiation 
between  Claret,  Talleyrand,  the  moderate  Directors,  and  Lord  ^lalmeHbury. 


1 


1797]  LISLE.  593 

from  the  effect  it  necessarily  must  produce,  do  the  very 
thing  Lord  Grenville  fears — it  lu'ill  weaken  our  case.  I 
conversed  much  on  this  point  with  Canning  and  with 
Lord  Spencer,  with  whom  I  dined.  They  both  (parti- 
cularly Canning)  agree  with  me.  I  write  to  Pitt  in  the 
evening  to  this  effect.  I  had  then  seen  the  extracts 
Lord  Grenville  had  made,  and  besides  considering  them 
as  uselessly  long,  and  many  of  them  likely  from  their 
nature  to  furnish  Opposition  with  a  handle  for  cavil, 
instead  of  strengthening  the  hands  of  Government. 


LETTER  FROM  MR.  CANNING  TO  MR.  LEGH. 

Downing  Street,  29th  Sept.,  1797. 

I  AM  very  busy  indeed.  There  is  all  Lord  ]\Ialmes- 
bury's  Correspondence  to  be  prepared  for  the  press,  to 
convince  all  mankind  how  little  it  is  his  fault  or  ours 
that  we  have  not  at  this  moment  a  peace.  We  v/.ere 
within  a  hair's  breadth  of  it.  Nothing  but  that  cursed 
Revolution  at  Paris,  and  the  sanguinary,  insolent,  im- 
placable, and  ignorant  arrogance  of  the  Triumvirate,  could 
have  prevented  us.  Had  the  moderate  party  triumphed, 
all  would  have  been  well  ;  not  for  us  only,  but  for 
France,  for  Europe,  and  for  the  world.  As  it  is,  if  there 
be  any  comfort  in  comparison,  it  is  worse  for  the  world 
in  general,  for  all  Europe,  and  for  France  above  all,  than 
it  is  for  us.  I  am  persuaded  there  would  be  but  one 
sentiment  in  this  country  upon  this  occasion.  Pray  do 
not  let  your  Sir  B.  B.'s  or  anybody  else  mislead  you 
for  a  moment  with  talking  about  terms.  It  was  not  any 
question  of  terms  of  giving  up  this  or  retaining  that — it 
was  a  settled  determination  to  get  rid  of  the  chance  of 
Peace,  on  the  part  of  the  three  scoundrelly  Directors  that 
put  an  end  to  the  Negotiation.  Nothing  else  could  have 
done  so.  I  write  this  in  the  midst  of  a  hubbub  of  clerks ; 
all  of  whom  I  am  taking  home  from  their  work  to  dine 
with  me,  that  they  may  work  again  the  more  readily  and 
actively  after  dinner. 

VOL.  III.  2  Q 


594  DIARIES  AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [l797. 


EXTRACTS    OF    A    LETTER    FROM    LORD    MALMESBURY    TO 

MR.    riTT. 

Spring  Gardens,  29th  Sept.,  1707. 

In  the  selection  of  extracts  made  from  my  corre- 
spondence for  jDublication,  I  am  apprehensive  that  in 
several  places  it  exposes  my  first  French  colleagues,  in 
the  present  state  of  things  in  France,  to  imminent  dan- 
ger ;  and  it  appears  to  me  that  these  parts  might  either 
be  wholly  suppressed,  or  at  least  softened,  without  at 
all  weakening  our  case.  The  never  naming  them  sepa- 
7Xitely,  but  calling  them  everywhere  the  French  Flempo- 
tentiar'ies,  would  equally  convey  to  the  Repul^lic  Avhat 
it  is  requisite  for  them  to  know,  and  deprive  the  Di- 
rectory of  the  means  of  gratifying  any  personal  ill-will 
against  any  particular  member  of  the  French  Legation. 

I  waited  in  town  to-day,  that  I  might  be  in  the  way  in 
case  I  was  to  be  consulted  ;  but  as  I  understand  from 
Canning  he  is  to  shew  me  the  despatches,  in  the  course 
of  circidation,  I  do  not  see  well  how  I  can  venture  to 
state  my  opinion  officially  ;  but  I  feel  it  so  strongly,  and 
am  so  convinced  that  you  will  understand  my  motive, 
that  I  cannot  forbear  mentioning  it  to  you  before  I  return 
to  Park  Place.  I  hope,  however,  to  see  you  in  London  on 
Wednesday,  but  I  am  afraid  it  would  then  have  been  too 
late  to  state  what  I  now  write. 


Saturday,  Sept.  30. — Received  at  nine  o'clock  a  letter 
from  Lord  Grenville.  From  the  tone,  I  find  him  aware 
of  my  sentiments,  and  that  his  by  no  means  agree  with 
them  in  respect  to  using  more  caution  and  more  delicacy 
towards  my  first  colleagues.  I  wrote  to  him  to  state  my 
opinion,  and  to  press  strongly  the  substituting  every- 
where the  words  "  French  Plenipotentiaries "  for  "  Le 
Tourneur,  Maret,  or  Colchen."  I  send  my  letter  by  Ross. 
Lord  Grenville  admits  him,  and,  after  perusing  my  letter, 
consents  to  the  alteration  :  he  says  he  even  thinks  it 
"  more  dignified ! " 


1797.]  LISLE.  595 

Sunday,  Oct.  1. — A  letter  from  Pitt  ;  agrees  with  me 
as  to  substituting  the  general  expression  of  French  Pleni- 
potentiaries for  the  naming  the  Ministers,  inasmuch  as  it 
can  be  done  without  "  violating  the  accuracy  of  quota- 
tion" 

Tuesday,  Oct.  3. — Went  to  London  with  G.  Ellis  ; 
find  a  French  courier  addressed  to  me  from  Lisle  ;  the 
l^oiQ  he  brings  a  repetition  of  the  last,  but  in  the  name 
of  the  Directory.  I  was  sorry  and  angry  he  was  not 
stopped  at  Dover ;  lodge  him  at  Schau's,  who  has  orders 
to  attend  and  watch  him.  Canning  informs  me  all  idea 
of  immediate  publication  is  laid  aside  ;  he  believes  the 
Cabinet  were  against  it,  and  particularly  Lord  Liverpool. 
A  declaration  to  be  made,  but  that  delayed  by  the  ar- 
rival of  their  courier.  Huskisson  a,nd  Hammond  at  Can- 
ning's. No  secret  information  from  Paris,  either  through 
O'Drusse  or  Boyd.  This,  in  my  mind,  proves  all  their 
information  to  be  calculated  for  stock-jobbing.  No  Mi- 
nister in  town.  Dinner  at  Canning's — Wyndham,  William 
Elliot,  &c. 

Wednesday,  Oct.  4.  —  Lord  Pembroke  at  breakfast ; 
prepare  a  sketch  for  an  answer ;  send  it  by  Canning  to 
Pitt.  N.B.  It  was  adopted  only  in  substance,  and  much 
shortened  by  Lord  Grenville.  Levee  ;  Duke  of  Portland ; 
Lord  Chatham.  Conversation  with  them  on  the  style  of 
the  answer ;  they  apparently  not  very  much  prepared  on 
the  subject.  The  King  told  me  he  had  been  at  Park  Place 
the  day  before  ;  said  my  ricks  were  very  fine  ;  that  I  was 
a  good  farmer ;  that  I  made  as  good  ricks  as  I  wrote  de- 
spatches, &c.  Lord  Grenville  shewed  me  his  proiH  for  an 
answer  to  the  Note,  like  mine,  but  less  pacific,  lie  can- 
not account  for  this  behaviour  of  the  Directory  ;  he  be- 
lieves they  mean  luar,  yet  want  to  gain  time.  Lord 
Grenville  invariably  against  peace  from  the  beginning ; 
considers  the  secret  information  as  a  mere  trick  to  serve 
the  purpose  of  stock-jobbing.  Pitt  objects  to  that  part  of 
my  intended  answer  where  I  suppose  the  French  may 
mean  to  establish  a  principle  in  the  outset,  and  give  way 


596  DIARIES   xVND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [l797. 

on  it  as  the  Negotiation  goes  on  ;  says,  the  saying  it 
would  look  churlish.  I  agreed  with  him ;  but  that  it 
would  be  they,  not  lue,  that  would  appear  so.  He  went 
into  the  King  before  he  could  end  our  discussion.  Duke 
of  Portland  tells  me  Sir  G.  Elliot  is  to  be  created  a 
peer ;'"'  dinner  at  the  Admiralty  ;  Lord  Spencer  inclined 
to  be  warlike ;  Lady  Spencer  (who  is  very  free-spoken, 
and,  at  times,  imprudent)  said  to  me  in  a  half-whisper, 
"  Take  care  they  don't  turn  the  tables  on  us."  She 
meant,  I  believe,  but  am  not  sure,  Pitt  and  Dundas  ;  she 
never  liked  the  joining  them.  Wyndham  and  the  Duke 
of  Portland  dined  there,  as  did  Sir  G.  Elliot,  William 
Elliot,  and  Canning. 

Thursday,  Oct.  4.  —  Batt  at  breakfast ;  W.  Elliot, 
about  Ireland,  says  there  is  a  numerous  and  safe  army, 
but  that  there  is  great  disaffection  in  the  north,  and  con- 
stant intercourse  with  France.  Forsterf  about  Brooks's;]; 
will ;  a  very  benevolent  and  kind  one  to  his  friends  and 
relations.  Canning  ;  answer  ready  ;  sign  it,  and  despatch 
the  French  courier  at  two.  Go  to  Oatlands ;  Duke  of 
York  always  right  and  always  kind.  Colonel  Wynyard 
there ;  a  good-humoured  man ;  conversation  as  usual — 
military  and  horses.  Duke  of  York  assures  me  the  King 
is  highly  pleased  with  all  I  have  done. 


EXTRACTS  OF  A  LETTER  FROM  LORD  MALMESBURY  TO 

MR.  CANXII^Q. 

Bcath,  20th  October,  1797. 

It  was  great  satisfaction  to  me  to  hear  that  the  private 
communication  has  in  the  event  come  out  to  be  nothing. 
The  relative  situation  of  England  and  France  is  such, 
that,  at  this  moment,  I  should  be  sorry  either  for  a  con- 

*  He  was  created  Lord  Minto.  f  Mr.  Forstcr,  the  Solicitor. 

X  Hrooks,  tlic  messenger,  wlio  was  drowned.  Lord  Mahncshury  and  I\Ir. 
Canning  gave  themselves  much  trouble  in  arranging  his  affairs  iur  bis 
family.  It  is  but  one  of  many  kind  acts  of  this  nature,  the  traces  of  wbich 
I  fina  in  my  papers,  quietly,  but  effectually,  performed  by  tliese  pmiable 
men. 


1797.]  LISLE.  597 

tinuance,  or  even  for  a  speedy  renewal,  of  a  pacific  Nego- 
tiation. Security  without  peace  is  better  than  peace 
without  security.  The  country  at  large  may  be  taught 
this  very  plain  truth  now  better  than  at  any  other  period 
of  the  war ;  and  if  they  can  be  brought  to  admit  it,  we 
can  be  only  gainers  by  delay.  I  have  no  doubt,  even 
from  the  perusal  of  the  papers  printed  under  the  autho- 
rity of  the  French  Government,  that  there  is  a  general 
rising  in  the  southern  provinces,  and  that  (if  we  do  not 
interfere,  through  Royalists  and  Emigrants)  a  civil  war 
will  be  the  consequence  :  if  we  do  employ  those  fatal 
means,  we  shall  strengthen  the  Directory  in  their  power, 
and  palsy  all  those  who  are  disposed  to  dispute  it  with 
them. 

I  am  glad  such  a  Declaration  as  you  describe  is  to  ap- 
pear soon. 

I  hope  to  be  able  to  remain  here  quietly  for  some  time 
longer.  I  am  told  that  ease  and  quiet  are  necessary  to 
reinstate  me,  to  put  me  in  the  same  situation  of  health  I 
was  in  before  I  went  to  Lisle,  and  I  am  desirous  of  ob- 
taining the  strict  status  ante  helium.  I  have  been 
cupped  this  morning,  and  advised  to  abstain  from  the 
waters  for  a  few  days.  What  is  good  for  my  stomach  is, 
they  say,  bad  for  my  head,  and  with  this  principle  they 
may  keep  me  in  their  hands  as  long  as  they  please. 

If  you  are  at  Walmer,  remember  me  kindly  to  Mr. 
Pitt.  

EXTRACTS    OF    A    LETTER    FROM    LORD    MALMESBURY   TO 
LORD   GRENVILLE. 

Park  Place,  27th  October,  1797. 

I  HAVE  many  thanks  to  return  you  for  the  obliging 
communication  of  the  Declaration  which  is  intended  to  be 
published  by  His  Majesty  on  the  breaking  ofi"  the  Nego- 
tiation at  Lisle.  It  appears  to  me  to  state  with  great 
truth,  fairness,  and  precision  the  Avhole  of  the  transaction. 
The  new  paragraph  which  has  Ijeen  added  in  consequence 
of  our  victory  on  the  coast  of  Holland'^  is  admirably  well 

"  Battle  of  Camperdown. 


598  DIARIES   AND   CORRESPONDENCE.  [1797. 

conceived,  and  calculated  to  produce  the  best  possible 
effect  both  at  Paris  and  at  the  Hague.  I  confess  I  am 
not  sorry  to  hear  that  you  pause  as  to  the  propriety  of 
the  publication  of  the  Correspondence.  There  certainly 
could  be  no  harm  in  trusting  the  public  with  the  extracts 
from  it  which  you  had  marked  out ;  but  it  is  impossible 
that  it  should  not  appear  to  persons  accustomed  to  IS^ego- 
tiations  that  much  is  concealed,  and  from  this,  both  oppo- 
sition here,  and  the  present  prevailing  party  in  France, 
might  derive  great  advantage.  The  nomination  of  Ch. 
Delacroix  to  the  Dutch  Embassy,  and  that  of  Truguet  to 
Spain,  looks  as  if  the  Directory  had  views  on  those 
countries. 

I  need  not  say,  that  if  my  personal  attendance  in  Par- 
liament is  considered  as  absolutely  necessary,  I  shall  most 
certainly  be  present ;  but  if  it  is  not  absolutely  necessary, 
I  should  hope  to  be  dispensed  with. 


[The  reader  will,  I  think,  be  convinced  by  the  foregoing 
papers  that  Pitt  was  not  only  sincere  in  his  overtures  for 
peace,  but  anxiously  eager  to  obtain  it  on  almost  any  con- 
ditions short  of  dishonour.  The  last  fruitless  attempt 
made  by  Lord  M.,  in  proposing  to  the  French  Ministers 
another  meeting,  after  he  had  been  rudely  ordered  to  leave 
Lisle,  is  a  public  proof,  which  his  private  correspondence 
confirms,  of  his  own  zeal  in  the  same  cause.  After  being 
thus  twice  cavalierly  turned  out  of  France  with  his  pa- 
cific proposals,  it  is  only  the  insolence  of  Ultra- Jacoljin 
Directors,  and  of  their  contemporaneous  historians,  which 
could  presume  to  assert  that  England  never  was  sincere 
in  her  wish  to  make  peace."' 

There  can  be  no  doubt  but  that  Lord  ]\r.  would  have 
succeeded,  had  Carnot  and  the  Moderate  party  obtained 
the  ascendancy.  A  vast  portion  of  the  French  nation 
Avcrc  eager  for  rest,  and  it  has  been  seen  that  j\laret 
(whose  character  and  services  were  afterwards  so  justly 

*  Tliicis,  wlio,  w  itli  tlio  exception  of  liis  characters  of  persons,  is  a  fair 
hii^toriaii,  says,  "  .Tainais  la  France  et  rAiigleterre  n'avaient  6x6  plus  pres  I'c 
se  concilier"  (toui.  vi.,  p.  22). 


1797.]  LISLE.  599 

appreciated  by  Napoleon),  acting  in  the  present  Negotia- 
tion with  the  most  patriotic  and  humane  motives,  and  in 
concert  with  two  of  the  Directors,  was  on  the  point  of 
smoothing  every  difficulty,  when  the  Revolution  of  the 
18th  Fructidor  destroyed  his  means,  and  all  possibility  of 
success. 

With  this  second  Alission  to  the  French  Republic,  Lord 
Malmesbury  closed  his  public  life.  From  the  age  of 
twenty-four,  he  had  held  responsible  situations,  and  had 
been  employed  in  the  most  difficult  and  honourable  Ne- 
gotiations of  his  time  ;  and  at  fifty  he  had  obtained  the 
first  position  in  his  line,  and  the  highest  reward  from  the 
Crown.  At  this  comparatively  early  age  he  was  forced  to 
stop,  and  in  consequence  of  increasing  deafness,  to  refuse 
all  future  employment.  He  continued  in  the  intimate 
confidence  of  Pitt,  the  Duke  of  Portland,  Canning,  and 
other  eminent  men  of  that  party,  and  was  consulted  hj 
them  whenever  our  Foreign  Policy  (which,  at  the  begin- 
ning of  this  century,  was  so  difficult  a  subject)  became 
the  matter  for  discussion. 

In  1800  he  was  created  an  Earl,  and  Viscount  Fitz- 
harris.] 


END    OF    THE    THIRD    VOLUME. 


London  : 

Printed  by  S.  &  J.  Rentley,  Wilson,  and  Fley, 

Bangor  House,  Shoe  Lane. 


-a 


COLUMBIA  UMIVFRQiTv  ,  , 

HP  /'''//n|"ll/"''|i|     iT    ,     LIBRARIES 


0023477997 


.■I! 


c««.:r»SS'"'-» 


CHARGED 

CALL  NO.  . 


DUE 


mi 


^EB  2  4 


ms 


m 

mt 

L.   '»